Birth Doula and Chiropractic Care: Enhancing Your Birth Experience.

Most people have heard the word doula and understand they help with birth, but there are still some misconceptions about what they do and why someone should hire one for their birth. As a prenatal chiropractor, I am a huge advocate for birth doulas and I will tell you why.

Here are my top 5 reasons I, as a prenatal chiropractor, support and encourage my patients to hire a doula.

1. They advocate for you- Doulas are your advocate when things start to get intense and you (as the pregnant person) go into labor land you may not fully understand what is going on and what needs to be done, but the doula does. Doulas can help advocate to stick to your birth plan as much as possible. They also know when things are getting close to unsafe and will help guide you through tough decisions if needed. If this is your first time going through birth it can be quite worrisome because you haven't experienced it yet and don't know what to expect, but your doula can ease your mind and talk you through the steps and what to expect in the moment. It's nice to have an advocate that knows your ideal plan and can work with your birth provider to accomplish those when things start to get intense.

2. They are a constant support that doesn't leave your side- They have the experience to know the transitions and what labor looks like to keep you calm and talk you through what you are experiencing when the midwife or OB is not in the room. In hospital births it is very common to have nurses and doctors coming in and out of your room checking on you, but they are not always there when something changes or you have a question. The doula will always be by your side through the entire event and is someone you can count on to ask your questions and calm your nerves. As a first time mom it can be reassuring to have someone always at the ready to help.

3. They do not replace your support person, but can give them tools to better support you- Your doula is not to replace your support person (husband, wife, parent, friend) during labor and delivery, but they are there to help your support person with tools to better support you during each contraction. They can give your support person new tools when their old tools are not effective anymore. They should give more ideas of what to try during contractions and have a "toolbox" of ideas at the ready for you and your support person to try during labor. They may also be able to team up with your support person to bring you multiple ideas at once during a contraction. More hands mean more support.

4. They give care before birth and after birth- Typically your doula will meet with you a few times before you give birth to go over essentials and plan for birth. They will also check in once or twice after birth, which is way more than your birth provider will, unless you are working with a midwife outside of the hospital. The doula's care is to focus on the care of mom before, during and after birth. They may offer to bring you food in the hospital or at home. Some will also offer massages before or after birth. Doulas can offer more care outside just the labor and delivery, so be open to looking at what everyone offers before hiring one. Some will also offer postpartum doula services or being a night doula to help in the first few weeks with baby at home, so the parents can get sleep too.

5. A better birth experience- Doulas help you, as the birthing parent, have a better birth experience. Birth is an intense event for everyone involved and doulas can help navigate this new experience, so the parents can focus only on birthing their baby and not all the other commotion that is going on in the background. Doulas are trained to be the communication between the birth provider and the birthing family. The birthing parent shouldn't have to worry about all the little nuances that come with nurses and OBs coming in and out, but they should really focus on being present with their baby. Doulas allow that to happen. Having a better birthing experience will help during postpartum and bonding with your baby, which sets you up for more success when you head home.

Having worked with numerous pregnant patients to support them in achieving their ideal pregnancy, it is only natural for me to also wish for them to experience the best birth possible. I do not attend births as a prenatal chiropractor, so the next best thing is a trained doula who can be by their side during the entire birth. I love when my patients tell me they are planning on having a doula at their birth because I know all the work we are doing to prep for labor and delivery will be way more worth it and their postpartum healing will be better for it too. I know my patients will be cared for and supported in an extra way that will help make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible.

As a prenatal chiropractor, I strongly encourage my patients to hire a doula for their births. I had a great personal experience when I gave birth and from that I know everyone can benefit from having a great doula at their birth too. Of course, do your research and interview many to find the best fit for you because just like in all professions, you need to find one that fits with your values and ideals. I would be happy to help you find a doula if you need, so reach out through the contact us form and let's chat!