Doula - The calling & the profession

“A doula strives to support an expectant mother, not to stand above her.” - Sheila Kitzingen

Pregnancy and birth are an incomparable experience and are as multifaceted as they are individual. Doulas make it their mission to accompany women on their journey to motherhood in the best possible way. Their particular focus is on the well-being and self-determination of the expectant mother. The profession should be seen as more than just a calling.

Traditionally, doulas are women who already have birth experience themselves. There are now special training courses and programs so that people without birth experience of their own, and occasionally even men, can take on the role of doula.

"Servant" of the woman

The term originally comes from the ancient Greek - "douleia" - and means something like "servant of the woman", which described the birth support of the time. In the 1960s, the idea of ​​the doula was revived in the USA, and since then they have been called in more and more frequently for births in Germany too. However, many doulas prefer to call themselves "friend of the woman" - because this formulation better describes the fact that both the doula and the mother act on an equal footing.

A doula never replaces the medical staff, but respects and values ​​their work. While midwives and doctors ensure that you and your child receive the best possible medical care and that the birth goes smoothly, a doula focuses on physical, psychological and emotional well-being. She takes on the role that (grand)mothers and sisters have had for a long time and acts as a mediator in the birth team and with the relatives.

Your doula accompanies you on your individual path to motherhood. She is your personal, close confidant, calming force and spiritual support. She always focuses on your wishes and needs and works with you to make your birth experience as pleasant as possible. Together you create the space you need to find peace with pregnancy, birth and becoming a mother yourself. So that you can perceive the entire process positively and shape the birth of your child as a key experience.

During pregnancy

In the weeks before the birth, your doula will help you prepare emotionally. Fears and worries, as varied as they can be, accompany every expectant mother. Unspoken and unreflected, they can quickly add up. If they catch up with you at the time of birth, the resulting adrenaline production can significantly delay the birth. This makes this step avoidably stressful - for you and your newborn - and in the worst case scenario, brings complications. To counteract this in advance, your doula will face the unknown and uncomfortable with you: Together and openly, you will name your personal fears so that you can deal with them and accept them without judgment. She will show you relaxation exercises, advise you and plan various birth scenarios with you, for example. In all steps, she respects your self-determination and gives you strength and energy. In this way, you will create a fear-free, positive space together.

Birth as a positive experience

The moment when a new life comes into the world is magical and incomparable. However, births in hospital are rarely romantic. Doctors and midwives usually attend to more than one birth at a time and are therefore not always completely with you, there may even be a shift change. Your partner may also be nervous and unable to give you the peace you need.

Your doula supports you and your family emotionally and psychologically. She also ensures optimal communication with the medical team. Births that are accompanied by a doula are, on average, calmer (source: https://www.deine-doula.de/studien-statistiken). Her presence can be valuable for everyone involved: fewer medications are often needed, complications can be avoided and interventions such as ectopic births are less common. Your doula is at your side throughout the entire time as a calming force so that you can go into and through the birth process with strength and stability.

With this background, doulas can also – but of course not only – give the urgently needed strength to women in special situations, for example mothers who have already had miscarriages, who are struggling with previous traumatic birth experiences, victims of abuse or mothers who are giving birth to star children.

Arriving at motherhood

Doulas are also a true blessing after the birth. They help you to process the birth experience during the postpartum period. This can reduce the risk of postpartum depression, as well as the occurrence of breastfeeding problems. With special massages, relaxation techniques and yoni treatments, your doula supports you in healing on all levels - physical, mental and spiritual.

Some doulas offer to prepare Ayurvedic food to provide you with everything that is good for you. They help with household chores or shopping, thus taking unnecessary physical burdens off your shoulders. On an energetic and emotional level, they accompany you through the completion of the birth process and your arrival as a mother. To this end, your doula will be happy to perform a closing ceremony with you, classically known as "closing the bone". This involves using the technique of warming belly binding to support recovery.

Doulas also like to take on the role of mediator during the postpartum period: They help with the bond between mother and child and respect the intimacy with the partner.

My Doula

Mothers who are accompanied by a doula can often experience the birth of their child in a more relaxed and valuable way. With their help, risks and complications can be reduced through rest and relaxation. To achieve this valuable added value, you need, above all, the right doula. There are now private associations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland: They offer training and maintain databases in which you can find doulas who work in your area and are committed to a common code of ethics. In addition, some midwives and pediatricians can recommend someone to you upon request.

Unlike midwives, the care provided by a doula is not covered by health insurance. You can usually book various care packages with different intensities and characteristics. What your individual support looks like depends on your needs. The costs for doulas vary greatly and depend on how holistic and comprehensive you want the care from your doula to be. If you do not have the financial means to hire a doula yourself, you can check whether the association Doulas in Germany eV will cover the costs.
Our tip: Instead of a baby shower, baby bodysuit, etc., you could perhaps ask your friends and family to give you a doula to accompany you to the birth.

From profession to vocation

A doula cares about your well-being - from pregnancy to the postpartum period, she encourages you and strengthens you emotionally. She is there to support you individually throughout your entire journey. This makes her job a valuable and honorable calling and is the reason why more and more women giving birth are turning to a doula.

 Author: Constanze Dochantschi