The doula an increasingly popular choice for expectant mothers

October 12, 2009 by Shawn Douglas  
Filed under: News, Pregnancy

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The doula is becoming a more attractive option for expectant mothers as the UK faces an NHS midwife shortage.

While the midwife has long been the traditional source for women to turn to in the delivery room, the doula is becoming increasingly popular among expectant mothers in the U.K. With low supplies of NHS midwives and increasing interest in more natural child birthing methods, mothers-to-be are looking for more options.

Enter the “doula”.

The word “doula” comes from the Greek and signifies “a woman of service”. The practice of using a doula dates back to ancient times when giving birth was home-based and natural.

The doula’s role was to calm the birthing woman, help with breathing patterns, and give the new mother a “lying in” period. This lying in period allowed the mother to bond with her baby and recuperate from the birthing process. However, the age of modern medicine has diminished the doula’s role.

Yet the doula is making a comeback of sorts. Almost 700 women in the U.K. hired a doula in 2004, and in 2008 that number grew to 2500. While only 28 doulas were available through the Doula UK network in 2003, 450 are available today.

Hayley Win of East London chose to use a doula for her second child birth after having a bad experience with a midwife. Hayley chose Aleks Rechtman, a trained complementary therapist and doula, to help her with her concerns about her pregnancy and delivery.

“The first time I gave birth I was unsure about a lot of things, and the midwives were all too busy,” said Hayley. “This time it was reassuring having my own person with me.”

In addition to holding Hayley’s hand and rubbing her back during the birth, Aleks visited Hayley at home on a regular basis for the first few months offering advice and helping with household tasks.

Aleks firmly believes that doulas still have a place in modern birthing with midwives coming under considerable strain with their duties.

“If a woman gives birth in hospital she is often left to her own devices. Having a doula means you’re more likely to be relaxed so there’s less chance something will go wrong.”

A 2003 study of 13,000 women by the respected Cochrane Collaboration found that doulas do seem to have a positive impact during child birth. The study found that reductions in the time spent in labor, decreases in the need for caesarean, and reductions in the use of pain relief were possible with the continuous support of a doula.

However, opinion is divided in the midwife community about the role of doulas in modern society.

“My concern is that women are perhaps using doulas because the maternity services are struggling to provide one-to-one care and that midwives, who are not just trained clinical experts but are also skilled in emotional support, are currently finding it hard to provide continuity of care,” said Mervi Jokinen of the Royal College of Midwives. “It is also sad that some women may feel anxious that their concerns will not be heard by health professionals and therefore look to an external advocate such as a doula.”

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