[dc]A[/dc] common fear of birth partners, is that a doula will take their place, and they will become an accessory to the birth experience. It’s just as common for those same partners to become the most enthusiastic doula advocates after they’ve had a doula by their side during the birth of their child.
The truth is, a doula provides incredible support for BOTH the laboring person AND their partner. This is how:
[list icon=”check”]
-
-
-
- A doula lets your partner participate at their own comfort level.
- Your partner will be less stressed about not remembering what they learned from books and classes.
- Your partner will feel more confident by having a ‘behind the scenes’ guide, giving them tips, reminders, and suggestions.
- Your partner will feel less pressure to perform, allowing them to just experience and even enjoy the birth.
- If the birth turns long, a doula allows your partner to take much needed breaks without feeling guilty.
-
-
[/list]
Here are snippets and links to two of my favorite dad-written articles, about how happy they were to hire a doula:
[column width=”1/2″ first=”yes”]
“Consider: whenever you try a potentially lethal activity like, say, scuba diving or parachuting, you are paired with an experienced instructor possessing technical expertise. The same should apply when a woman attempts to extract a baby from her loins. Doctors and nurses don’t count, because their real patient is the baby.” From “I Challenge You to a Doula” by Daddy Confidential [/column] [column width=”1/2″ last=”yes”] “When I first heard about doulas, I thought of them as birth interlopers. Now I don’t know how anyone could manage to give birth without one. Our doula really helped bring me together with my wife as she gave birth.” From “Dads and Doulas: 5 Reasons Dads Should Demand a Doula” by KH Weiss (read more…) [/column]
