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Does anyone have an opinion on this?
Mamas who homebirth with a midwife who felt they did or did not need a doula?
Midwives?
Doulas?
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I have some questions and concerns regarding the practice of doulas at midwife attended homebirths.
Recently I have started a local birth doula certification program, run by a certified home midwife. I love the class and she is a phenomenal instructor. During our first day we talked a lot about homebirths and the teacher mentioned most often doulas do not attend homebirths with midwives. That primarily they attend hospital births.
Ok, so this slightly makes sense, certainly a midwife will provide an amazing amount of care to her clients. And certainly they will be hands on and very supportive during the whole process. Not to mention many doulas do there work because they want woman to have the best birth experience they can, even if the woman has a hospital birth.
But I wonder why do doulas and midwives work so far apart? It seems this would be an amazingly synergetic dynamic for all parties involved.
I thought more about this and remembered a friend of mine who had a midwife attended homebirth for her first child. She told me during her interview or one of her prenatal visits she asked her midwife if she should hire a doula, to which the midwife replied "no, that's why you have a midwife."
It seems the midwife probably should have said something along the lines of "If you want to and feel comfortable having another support person there, I don't see where it could hurt."
My friend is happy with her birth memory but often feels as though the addition of a doula would have indeed made her experience easier. Her reasons run from wanting to have had someone there who was there for just her needs (opposed to also there for the baby) and someone who could have helped with the endless pots of hot water for the tub or just someone there to take care of the things she needed so dad could fully enjoy the day and be there emotionally for her.
I wonder if this is the normal attitude of midwives in general, considering the frequency a doula is invited to a homebirth. Or an isolated case?
I love birth and I think women are entitled to the support they need (and I think most of us reading this believe the same thing, which is why many consider sliding scale fees and payment plans.)
Thoughts?
Sorry if the thought process isn't 100% complete. I kind of ran out of time LOL
Thank you for your thoughts on this.
Mamas who homebirth with a midwife who felt they did or did not need a doula?
Midwives?
Doulas?
----------------------------------------------------
I have some questions and concerns regarding the practice of doulas at midwife attended homebirths.
Recently I have started a local birth doula certification program, run by a certified home midwife. I love the class and she is a phenomenal instructor. During our first day we talked a lot about homebirths and the teacher mentioned most often doulas do not attend homebirths with midwives. That primarily they attend hospital births.
Ok, so this slightly makes sense, certainly a midwife will provide an amazing amount of care to her clients. And certainly they will be hands on and very supportive during the whole process. Not to mention many doulas do there work because they want woman to have the best birth experience they can, even if the woman has a hospital birth.
But I wonder why do doulas and midwives work so far apart? It seems this would be an amazingly synergetic dynamic for all parties involved.
I thought more about this and remembered a friend of mine who had a midwife attended homebirth for her first child. She told me during her interview or one of her prenatal visits she asked her midwife if she should hire a doula, to which the midwife replied "no, that's why you have a midwife."
It seems the midwife probably should have said something along the lines of "If you want to and feel comfortable having another support person there, I don't see where it could hurt."
My friend is happy with her birth memory but often feels as though the addition of a doula would have indeed made her experience easier. Her reasons run from wanting to have had someone there who was there for just her needs (opposed to also there for the baby) and someone who could have helped with the endless pots of hot water for the tub or just someone there to take care of the things she needed so dad could fully enjoy the day and be there emotionally for her.
I wonder if this is the normal attitude of midwives in general, considering the frequency a doula is invited to a homebirth. Or an isolated case?
I love birth and I think women are entitled to the support they need (and I think most of us reading this believe the same thing, which is why many consider sliding scale fees and payment plans.)
Thoughts?
Sorry if the thought process isn't 100% complete. I kind of ran out of time LOL
Thank you for your thoughts on this.