ARTICLES

The Birth Of A Doula
By Jill Ritchie

I believe my birthing journey as a doula actually began a long time ago, when in my own infant days I would receive comfort from my mother's skin as I lay suckling at her breast, listening to the sound of her heart beat as she held my swaddled body in her arms. I have early memories of my mother's nurturing touch as she would gently lay cool cloths across my feverish brow. My mother would always know what I needed before I did. She had a quiet presence about her and I always knew she was close by.

I was also fortunate to have the camaraderie of sisterhood, which has been ever present in my life. Memories of early morning giggles to late night story telling are still etched in my mind. My sisters taught me how to listen, how to advocate, and how to believe in myself. The wonderment of their friendship still brings tears of happiness trickling down my cheeks.

The birth of my two younger brothers was another major milestone in my birthing journey. I was old enough to truly appreciate the miracle of life, to experience the joy of holding a newborn in my arms, and to also experience the patience needed to comfort the cries of a little one. I loved my baby brothers.

In my youth I took care of many other families' children. Most of those children had wonderful loving mothers and fathers. However, one family was not so lucky and I learned early in life that there are women and children out there who need someone to listen to them and give them support so they can become stronger and more able to cope.

Some of my most amazing memories in my journey would be the birth of my own children. So many memories of moments spent cuddling, rocking, holding tiny hands as they took their first steps. I remember long walks in the park, consoling their cries, playing peek-a-boo games, first days at school, first dates, first cars and still so many more firsts to come.

Another powerful memory was that of three women in a postpartum ward: one a young teen mom, one a Polish immigrant woman who spoke no English and one a middle aged first time mom. Each of them reached out to me, not with their arms, but with their eyes and their tears. They were looking for guidance, reassurance and knowledge. They were looking for someone who cared.

My journey has had many twists and turns and just like in the birth of a baby, once baby gets past that turn in the birth canal, so too could I complete my journey that had been set in motion the day I was born. Those turns would include the death of a very precious baby girl and the passing of my father who mentored me through life, taught me about family values and showed me that it is always far more rewarding to give than to receive in life. It was during this time of losses in my journey that my spirituality was born. I thank God daily for the strength he gives me and for the guardian angels that he has blessed me with that help guide me in my journey.

My birth as a doula has been an incredibly awesome journey. I am so grateful that this was the path that was chosen for me to take on the day that I was born. As long as there are arms reaching out to me, I will be reaching back.

Life is all about family!

INTRODUCING “The Doula”
DOULAS Offer One-To-One Support

Having a doula present to help a woman and her partner throughout labour and birth is truly an age old concept. Since the beginning of time women have come together to help support women during labour. The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek and refers to a trained and experienced woman who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a woman before, during and immediately following childbirth. With a doula, a woman is never left alone during labour and birth. Doulas are experienced mothers themselves who have a passion for supporting women through this incredible life experience.

In today’s society having a doula present has proven to greatly improve obstetrical outcomes. Studies have shown that attending to women’s emotional and psychosocial needs during childbirth, not only contributes to women’s satisfaction and self-confidence but also a 20-60% decreased use of clinical interventions, shorter more comfortable labour, better mother and baby interaction, greater maternal satisfaction, decreased postpartum depression, and improved breastfeeding outcomes.

“One-to-one support from a professional reduces intervention rates, lowers the need for pain control and generally produces a more satisfied patient. This support is crucial for first-time mothers and also for women who’ve had previous caesareans but who want, and may be able to deliver subsequent children vaginally.”
The Ontario Women’s Health Council (WHC) October 30, 2000 Report

Doulas work as part of the team of caregivers which may include OB/GYN, family physicians, midwifes and nurses, providing support during labour, birth and postpartum. The doula does not replace the partner but rather enhances the partners role by reminding the partner what they learned in prenatal classes, and help with positions, comfort measures, as well as allowing the partner to take a break. A doula will begin to meet with a couple as early as possible in the pregnancy so that a trusting, friendship based relationship can develop.

Doula support also carries on into the postpartum days. Postpartum doulas have extensive knowledge in the areas of breastfeeding, infant care and psychological needs of new families.

Doulas may receive there certification through such organizations as the Association of Labour Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE); Doulas Of North America (DONA), Childbirth And Postpartum Association (CAPPA). Each of these organizations have a strict code of conduct which must be adhered to as well as continuing education requirements for certified doulas to maintain their certification.

This was a feature Article in SPECIAL DELIVERY, Vol.24, NO.3.Fall 2001
Supporting the Dying:
A Doula’s Inner Faith in Guiding Her Father Home
By Jill Ritchie

This article is dedicated to my father who encouraged me to become a birth doula. I am sure he had no idea that he would be the one who would benefit the most from my new profession.

During the past year I had the opportunity to use my labour assistant skills once again. This time, however, it was not in the traditional sense of a birth doula supporting a labouring mom, but as a daughter supporting her father in his wish to die at the home where he had lived for almost forty years and where, together with his wife of fifty-five years, he had raised their eight children.

I am sure some of you are thinking, “How could this be an opportunity?” Believe me, this was an opportunity in every sense of the word. It is much like a couple whose wish is to have a homebirth. The criticism that they get from the medical community as well as from their families is sometimes overwhelming.
I thank God I learned how to be an advocate for my clients. I certainly needed to be one for my dad.

I thank God for all the comfort measures I learned as a labour assistant. My father loved the aromatherapy massage I gave him. When the pain was too great to bear I would use visualization to guide him to his favorite resting spot – a park bench underneath an old oak tree. It was peaceful there, the leaves just starting to fall, warm sunshine on his face.

I thank God for the reassurance I learned to give – every day he asked not to go to the hospital; every day I reassured him he wouldn’t.
I thank God for the massage and counter pressure techniques I learned as a labour assistant; lying in bed day in and day out would cause my dad excruciating muscle spasms.

I thank God for the “take charge routine” I learned as a birth doula. So many times my dad wanted me to change his oxygen in the middle of the night only to fall asleep in the middle of me doing so; or when he wanted to get out of bed when there weren’t enough of us to help him. It is so hard to take charge with your father or to say ”no”, but I know I gave him a few more precious weeks with his loved ones by doing so.

I thank God for learning how to work as a team. Many times the family became torn about dad’s wishes and what the medical community wanted. AS a team, working together we were able to fulfill our dad’s wishes.

Lastly, most important, I thank God for learning, as a labour assistant, to believe in our bodies – a woman’s body knows how to give birth; faith in that knowledge eliminates fear. The same is so in death; all life comes to an end and when we learn to face it with compassion and respect, the fear is gone.

Being a doula provided me the opportunity to experience a closeness with my dad that will remain with me for the rest of my life and that opportunity would surely have been missed had he gone to hospital.

Thank you to all doulas for giving me the knowledge of a doula and the wisdom to use it.

“Help In Hindsight”
The first time, I needed help that put ME first –second time, I got it.
“I wish I had someone to help me out a few hours a day everyday for the first few months, so that I could take better care of myself and the baby.”
“I wish I was part of a bigger community. I wish my mother had been there for me. I needed someone to make me a home-cooked meal and help me with breastfeeding problems”
“The help I really would have liked was to have someone hold the baby for a while so I could nap or shower or just rest. To me, this was more important than laundry or shopping.
“Someone to assist with household chores, cooking, cleaning.:
“Help during the night – to stay up if the baby stayed up.”
“More emotional support…while I was in the hospital I never was queried about my emotional state. I was looked after physically, but emotionally I was ignored.”