Childbirth Support
Birth Doula: Labor and Childbirth Support Virtually and In-person
What is Childbirth Support?
Childbirth support can be seen as the entire support you are given when you hire a birth coach or labor and birth doula to plan your birthing experience. More specifically, childbirth support can be defined as the support you get to prepare you for and during labor.
Support can be virtual or in person. Examples include simple positioning for comfort, guidance through your birthing process, and reminding you that what’s happening is normal! Childbirth support can also involve non-medical pain relief techniques such as touch and acupressure. Having an additional figure for reassuring you will provide a better birthing experience.
Having a Doula in your Birthing Team has shown:
%
Less requests for an epidural
%
Decreased C-sections
%
Shorter labor times
*stats from American Pregnancy Association
Having a Doula in your Birthing Team has shown:
%
Less requests for an epidural
%
Decreased C-sections
%
Shorter labor times
*stats from American Pregnancy Association
Types of support during childbirth
Physical Support
Physically, a birth doula will hold your hand, rub your back, breathe with you, and help you with your position changes. She will physically support you using her body, a birthing ball, Robozo (a long scarf), and other useful tools. The goal is to prove you with comfort and encouragement.
A labor doula will also assist your partner in helping to support you physically and emotionally. A doula also provides support for the partner and any other members of your birth team. She does so by offering suggestions of the best way each member of the team can be supportive of the laboring parent.
Emotional Support
Emotionally, a birth doula can be a calm presence in the room, just knowing she is there can be a comfort for most moms. Speaking calm and assuring words and reminding a laboring person how well they are doing and what is happening can make a difference.
It is extremely rewarding as a doula to be coaching and encouraging a woman through some of the most challenging parts of labor and birth. Each delivery is unique and miraculous.
Educational Support
Informationally, a birth coach should be knowledgeable about all aspects of labor and birth. She should be able to answer your questions about the birth setting, interventions, and more. Situations you might be presented with as you birth in a hospital or birth center setting.
My first role is to help you feel safe and comfortable through supportive birth coaching, complementing the role of the healthcare professionals who provide your medical care.
My services include support beyond all the planning in the pregnancy phase. Check out the services I provide during childbirth and postpartum:
- Birth Style Assessment
- Birth Plan Session
- Postpartum Plan Session
- Childbirth Education Course
- Baby Gear Consulting
- Text & Email Support
- Virtual Consultations
- Online Labor Visit & Continuous Virtual Support through labor, birth & up to 2 hours beyond
- Virtual Postpartum Visits and Postpartum Planning Session
How can My Baby Lady assist with Your Childbirth
Besides the support throughout pregnancy and postpartum, My Baby Lady can support you during labor in three ways:
In-Person Doula
If you happen to be in Port St. Lucie or Treasure Coast, I would love to be physically involved in your childbirth. If you live somewhere else in the US and would prefer an in-person doula vs. virtual doula I can find contacts for you. Being in a field for so many years I have a lot of contacts.
Virtual Doula
My services include support during labor, birth, and up to 2 hours beyond. I will be available to provide emotional and informational support virtually. Such support can be crucial for a better birthing experience specially if things do not occur as planned. Additionally, I can guide your birthing team in providing you with physical comfort and support.
Train Someone to be Doula
If you want to use a friend or family member as your doula, we recommend that you find someone trained to teach doulas. You want to be sure they are knowledgeable in the matters necessary to provide you with the comfort and support you need during labor and childbirth. My Baby Lady is trained to do so and can train someone of your preference to either be your doula, or to just provide your with some form of support during labor.
Did you know that childbirth support may be covered by insurance?
Some health insurance cover birth doula services! Medicaid and Aetna for example. If you live on the Treasure Coast ask me about insurance coverage and I can help you file the claim or request reimbursement!