This article in the New York Times really dissed the whole idea of hiring a doula, so I thought I would chime in with a Defense of the Doula.
QUOTE:
“Then “she urged my husband and me to take a shower to ease the pain,” Ms. Myers said. “I told her I didn’t want to, but she was adamant.”
Dripping wet, freezing and in bone-shattering pain, Ms. Myers said she seethed in silence. When she ultimately chose an epidural, her doula walked out. “She was so set on my having a natural birth, she offended me, she offended the nursing staff, she offended my O.B.,” Ms. Myers said.
In an era of nurse shortages and high Caesarean rates, doulas and lactation consultants can be godsends for many women. Indeed, multiple studies show that a doula’s presence during childbirth leads to shorter labor, less medical intervention and a happier experience.”
“But the increased popularity of doulas and lactation consultants has also led to more conflict — not only with parents but doctors and nurses as well.”
Conflict with doctors and nurses….hmmmmm… seems like this is the big issue….
As well it should be. When doulas cut down on epidural use, interventions, and overall use of medicine and surgery during birth, the financial bottom line is being affected. A single mother all alone is so easy to manipulate into interventions, and a Mom with an uneducated husband or boyfriend who just wants his sweetheart to make it out alive is especially easy to bully into the OR.
Continue reading “Whither the Doula?”
Christ Centered ChildBirth is now available online!
This book is an indepth study of 1Tim. 2:15, from an LDS or “Mormon” woman’s perspective. I invite all women to read it and glean knowledge from its pages. May you take from it that which inspires and uplifts you. This book is not endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. The book is based on the author’s interpretation of scripture and it explores “spiritual” prenatal care, how breastfeeding impacts our children spiritually and physically, and how to overcome the effects of the fall of Eve in childbirth.
I am offering this book for free, as a hard copy costs about $25 to print and bind at the copy shop, and is a pain for me to have to do one at a time. It still needs editing, but after 10+ years of working on it I am eager for some feedback.
Susana Fierro-Baig
Go Here to read the whole analysis
QUOTE
“The authors suggest that their findings should be considered by women planning large families as they investigate their birth options, which seems like a reasonable use of the data.
Ultimately, what these studies suggest is that VBACs get safer in some ways and more successful for women after they have had one prior successful VBAC, and that each successive c-section may result in more complications for the mother.”
Susana has published her book Christ Centered Birth online. Go Here for the download.
She just gave birth to her 7th child!
Jenny Hatch
