Examples of birth doula support
I believe that my role supporting a birth begins well before anyone is in labor. In order for me to provide the amount of support needed during labor, I need to get to know my clients, understand their personalities, and preferences, and provide some education about what they can expect.
Prenatally
Before labor begins, I’ll meet with you over three prenatal visits to help you define your birth intentions and work with you on strategies for managing early labor either at home or at your place of birth. You’ll come away from these meetings with a solid sense of who I am and the services I provide, a physical worksheet outlining your birth intentions, concrete locations/positions/strategies for managing early labor at your home, and an open line of communication with me to ask any questions that come up between our prenatal appointments and the start of your labor.
Day-of
Once you’re in labor I’ll join you whenever feels right to you and your partner, and I’ll provide support in a number of ways:
Physical support can include guided breathing, advice about positioning/movement, counter pressure & massage, offering warm or cool compresses, etc...
Emotional support is all about honoring the experience that the birthing person is having while reminding them that they can do this. It also encompasses helping their support person cope with seeing their loved one in pain and empowering them to support the birthing person in the ways that they have requested.
Environmental support includes anything that helps to create an environment that maximizes the birthing person’s relaxation and focus. It can range from helping with ways to labor comfortably at home, to hanging twinkly lights in the hospital room, to maintaining boundaries between the birthing person and hospital staff or other family members when requested.
Educational/practical support begins prior to the birth with some basic childbirth education and help with a birth plan, continues on the day-of with explanations of where my client is in the birth process, guidance about how to cope with pain or keep labor progressing, and assistance creating space for discussion and consideration when decisions about care need to be made. It continues 2-3 hours after birth with help establishing breastfeeding as well as information about postpartum care.
Postpartum
After you give birth, we’ll schedule a follow-up visit where we’ll debrief about your birth, you can ask me any questions that have come up for you either about your birth experience or newborn or postpartum care, and I can provide referrals to practitioners within my network if they would be helpful. My partner is a phenomenal cook so I’ll also bring a meal for you to enjoy or freeze, because postpartum hunger is unreal!
Want to learn more about prenatal, day-of, or postpartum services offered by Little Bird Births? Check out our full service description here >