Hello again! Snowflakes are drifting slowly past the window as I write this, but so far March seems to be promising us an early spring. I’m not sure if I’m quite ready yet – it’s been a lovely winter. But I guess I don’t have much say over the weather. Today, however, I’m sipping a cup of rooibos tea while I sit down to talk about something we (usually) do have a say in… our labour and birth experiences! So, I hope you’ll join me as we look at some ways in which adding a doula to your birth team can result in needing less pain medication during labour.
Especially for a first labour experience, and perhaps because of the cues we get from society and the culture around us, pain in labour is often feared – and is definitely highly anticipated. Pain medication in labour can range from an over-the-counter drug like acetaminophen to epidurals and narcotics (opioids). This wide range of pain medication has varying side effects for both the labouring person and the baby – some even lasting long after the birth.
One of labour’s best kept secrets is that the support a doula provides can help you understand, prepare for and find alternative ways to journey through the pain of labour. Some of the simple ways in which doula support makes a difference are…
· Understanding the labour process and the pain of labour… which can reduce fear… which in turn can help you cope better
· Having the support and encouragement of a doula to help you care for your basic needs during labour… which can reduce the pain you experience
· Working with your doula to use positioning and comfort measures… which can help reduce the pain medication you feel you need
· Being supported one-on-one by a dedicated birth professional… which results in feeling safe, capable and in control… which results in fewer requests for pain medication
If you’re hoping to avoid using narcotics or an epidural during your labour, then a doula is an essential part of your birth team. And if you simply want to feel more prepared – and nurtured throughout your labour and birth experience – then a doula is the right choice for you!
I hope you’ll reach out so that we can discuss how your investment in doula support can make a difference for you – and for your baby.
Coming up next: discover how the doula difference results in fewer caesarean section births