Getting Started…

 

I can’t tell you how excited I am with the creation of this blog. I guess it just makes my plans and visions seem more real, all the sudden.  I have a few more details to iron out, and I’m hoping that soon I will be getting myself out there and getting some new clients. 

I currently have a lovely client, and am so excited to be working with her! It was fate that we met and both had the same childbirth philosophies, and she happened to be looking for a doula right at the same time I started my training. Now that I am done, we are 4 weeks away from her due date, and I can’t wait to put this all into practice!

I just wanted to share some information that I learned from my Massage Doula course.  The woman who designed it, Judith Koch, is such an inspiration to me. She was a pioneer in combining the massage therapy and doula fields,  and I’m so grateful to be learning from her.

Benefits of a labor support (doula):

Shortens Labor

Length of labor, study#1: No Doula, 19 hours/ Doula, 9 hours

Length of labor, study #2:No Doula, 15.5 hours/ Doula, 7.7 hours

Length of labor, study #3:No Doula, 9.4 hours/ Doula, 7.4 hours

Increases your odds of a natural birth from 12% with no Doula, to 55% with a Doula.

Reduces requests for epidurals (which are indicative of the level of pain being experienced) from 55% with no Doula to 8% with a Doula.

Reduces the need to use oxytocin, (a drug used to stimulate labor that is not progressing normally) from 44% with no Doula, to 17% with a Doula

Reduces the use of forceps from 26% with no Doula to 8% with a Doula

Reduces the need for C-Section from 18% with no Doula, to 8% with a Doula

Mothers experienced several benefits: They reported bonding more quickly with their baby, could take their babies home sooner, and had fewer maternal fevers when supported by a Doula.

Cost Savings: It is estimated that a reduction of Cesarean sections from the current 20 to 25% average down to 10% would mean a savings of about $3,500  per birth, more than $2 billion annually.  A reduction of epidurals from the current 80% down to 10% would result in an average savings of $1,300 per delivery, saving more than $4 billion annually.

(Source:  Mothering the Mother, M. Klaus, M.D., J. Kennell, M.D., P. Klaus. Second edition of this book is called The Doula Book)

The results don’t surprise me at all. While I didn’t have a Doula present at either of my children’s birth, I agree that it makes all the difference in the world to have another support person. I also wanted to mention that a Doula isn’t there to replace your spouse or significant other, should they want to be there.  There is actually evidence that proves when a Doula is present, your spouse or significant other is likely to be more involved than if a Doula were not there.  More on that, later.

So thanks for stopping by, and sorry for all the construction that is/will be happening on the blog in the next little while.  I’m doing it on my own for now, but hope to get busy enough in the future to upgrade!