Birth Companions:

What do doulas do during the labor and delivery process?

Jerri usually is referred to a mom by someone else. She’ll arrange to meet the mom and explain what a doula does. She’ll answer any questions the mom may have and provide any information the mom may need at that time. She prefers to meet with the mom at least three times before the baby is born so she can understand where the mom is coming from, what she wants and needs from Jerri.

At the second meeting, Jerri will usually talk about comfort measures like how to lessen the pain in back labor or possibly prevent it in the first place. They discuss how to manage pain, medication and its effects and other things.

By the third visit, Jerri likes to go with the woman to a doctor’s appointment. That way she can introduce herself, let the doctor know she’ll be there as a support person for the mom and exchange contact information

Sometimes the moms will call when they’re not sure what’s happening and if they should go to the hospital or not. Jerri will encourage them to contact their doctor to ask those kinds of questions. When the mom is thinking about going to the hospital, Jerri will offer to wait with them at their house or go and wait with them at the hospital. A couple of times, women have asked her to come to their homes and be with them to talk, provide physical and emotional support and information. She may even cook and freeze food for the family to have for the next few weeks.

Once at the hospital, Jerri waits with the mom through labor and once she starts to deliver, gives her information on how to push effectively. If the mom wants to nurse her baby after birth, Jerri can teach her how to breast feed. She encourages nursing because it’s good for the baby. After that, she’ll stop by the hospital to visit the mom, see if she has any questions and particularly to reflect with the mom on her birth experience. Jerri’s able to help the mom see what a powerful experience it was and to remind her of what a wonderful and amazing job she did by giving birth. Jerri feels it is her responsibility to empower the mom.

Jerri tends to stop and visit the mom a week or so after she returns home and leaves herself open to the mom for follow-up support for about two months or a little longer, depending on what the mom needs. She still has contact with some moms over a year later. She knows that the moms feel a special bond with her because she’s shared such an amazing experience with them. It’s very powerful to give birth and to have this new person come into your life and profoundly change everything about your life. Because she was a part of that, some moms still feel a strong connection with Jerri. Jerri now even babysits some of their children!

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