As we head into winter, we are continuing to navigate the ups and downs of life during the pandemic, including where doulas can and can’t support clients in-person in hospitals. However, the one-on-one care through pregnancy and labour that are part of the doula difference are always still available to clients. Whether it’s through online meetings or virtual labour support, doulas continue to have their clients’ best interests at heart. And, as we’ve looked at before, that care extends beyond the birthing person to the baby and their partner/family member/support person as well.
Along with the benefits of doula support that we have looked at in previous posts, doula care also results in overall better apgar scores for baby. What does APGAR mean? An apgar score is the ranking that is given when a baby is born, and refers to the following categories:
· appearance… what colour is the baby’s skin?,
· pulse… what is the baby’s heartrate?,
· grimace… what are baby’s reflexes like?,
· activity… how is baby’s muscle tone? and
· respiration… is baby breathing well?
Newborns will be assessed immediately at birth and again a couple of minutes later.
When a doula is part of a birth team, the apgar scores are usually excellent! This has been shown to be the result of continuous support during labour, and is one of the reasons to consider adding a doula to your birth team – because the care you get is good for your baby, too.
I’d love to support you on your birth journey! Reach out with any questions, or for a free consultation.
Coming up next: how the doula difference leads to less postpartum depression