Labor and Birth Doula Care
“In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.” ~ Deepak Chopra
“If a Doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it.”
John H. Kennell, M.D.
Listen and breathe to our favorite song:
A “Blessing Song” for Moms & Babies – Snatam Kaur
All first time parents have a certified doula included in their Birth Center package.
Incredible Benefits of Doula Care:
- Achieve a more relaxed and comfortable birth using special techniques which help avoid drugs and potential major abdominal surgery.
- 60% reduction in cesarean rate
- Reduced duration of labor
- 40% reduced use of Pitocin
- Reduced use of forceps and vacuum extraction
- Reduced chances of maternal fever and infection
- Fewer episiotomies
- Increased chance of successful breastfeeding
- Increased chance of spontaneous vaginal birth
Our Approach to Doula Care
Being able to provide physical, emotional, informational, and non-judgmental support through early labor, birth, and early postpartum is both an honor and blessing. We would like to thank each and every couple for honoring us in sharing this most amazing, intimate experience– the birth of your baby.
A prenatal visit 3-4 weeks prior to the estimated due date with mom, partner, and doula allows everyone to be comfortable in sharing this very intimate experience. Attending the childbirth, newborn baby care, and breastfeeding classes hosted by our doulas gives the knowledge to help get parents off to a good start. Our doulas will personally meet with you, establish a connection/relationship, review your birth wishes, and desires and go over any medical terminology explanations needed. This ONE on ONE is most important to relax and enjoy the birthing experience, knowing your birth companion and your doula are both there to love and support you all the way.
“Doula” is a Greek word meaning “mothering the mother”. Providing mothers and fathers-to-be continual support throughout labor, birth, and early postpartum. A wonderful way of achieving a more relaxed, natural birth using special comfort measures while supporting the mom 100% throughout the challenges of labor. Using position changes, breathing/relaxation techniques, music and massage. Working together with Dad so he can relax and enjoy this “Celebration of Life” without tension, frustration and fear, knowing mother and baby are calm, supported, focused and able to follow the “natural instincts” of her body. Letting go of the tension-fear-pain syndrome while relaxing & meditating during contractions, tapping into a deeper consciousness, and saving energy needed to breathe while birthing your baby.
Studies have shown that having the support and care of another woman present during labor, the laboring woman is more likely to have a shorter, safer more satisfying birth experience. With doula support, allowing women to labor in the comfort of home through early labor, avoiding potential interventions that may take place when arriving too soon to the hospital setting. Fathers-to-be relax more with this caring doula support in knowing there is a professional advocate present to assist the mother, physically, emotionally & spiritually.
The Role of a Doula
Your doula is there to help you through childbirth with love, physical, emotional and informational support. Providing continuous reassurance emotionally throughout this time. A doula specializes in non-medical skills, such as massage, breathing techniques, position changes and perform no clinical tasks, such as vaginal exams etc. A doula does not make any decisions for her clients and does not project personal values & goals upon a laboring mother. With many possibilities of how labor may begin, at home, with your fluid intact, or maybe the membranes release and you have no contractions…what to do? There are things to be aware of and questions your doula will go over with you at the prenatal visit which takes place approximately three weeks prior to the EDD (estimated due date).
Do health insurance companies pay for doula services?
Some insurance companies cover doula services, and the numbers are increasing gradually as providers are beginning to recognize the benefits of improving parental satisfaction and the savings when parents employ a doula for their birth. Insurance companies are more likely to pay if the OB/Midwife writes a prescription for professional labor support and/or postpartum home health care. Also, if a doula provides doula care/services with a birth center and midwife, together as a reimbursable service, this can increase the chance for coverage. If your doula is also a childbirth educator providing both services the insurance companies may reimburse for either the doula care service, childbirth education provided or both.
Also, postpartum home health care is something covered by insurance companies so ask Debra for more information if you are interested in postpartum doula/home care.
Factors that may increase your chances of reimbursement include:
- Using a certified doula and submitting the doula’s credentials with the claim to the company.
- Submitting a doctor or midwife’s referral or prescription for professional labor support services.
- Submitting well-documented statistics of the doula’s influence.
- Actually achieving a low intervention, low-cost birth.
- Submitting a bill/invoice for doula services complete with diagnosis and treatment codes.
- Resubmitting with more documentation if the first claim is denied.
- Talking to a person at the company to explain what you do if your services are denied payment.
Cost of Doula care
Some Insurance Companies have been reimbursing 60-75% of Doula Care Service, and now Doula Care Service is more acknowledged than ever, saving them thousands of dollars. Please ask Debra about the form to submit to your insurance company.
Debra provides insurance claim forms for reimbursement now with better qualifications to have your labor doula care service covered. Please ask about coverage if applicable.
Labor Doula – Care Cost
Ultimately, it is most important that any mother has the support she wants during labor and birth so I am happy to work with each family, and client individually and adjust pricing if necessary.
A prenatal birth center visit approximately 3-4 weeks prior to EDD, constant telephone communication, care at home, birth center or hospital throughout the birth of your baby and up to one-hour postpartum, assisting with breastfeeding and comfort. Also includes a follow-up postpartum virtual visit within two weeks after birth. If Postpartum Doula Care is requested, this can be reserved prior to birth.
The Birth Ball for Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond
A wonderful tool to assist moms during pregnancy, help to go through early labor easily and ease back and pelvic pressure, allowing pelvic rotation and movement, therefore, helping the baby’s journey down the birth path. Different positions to rock baby, positioning and rotation so labor is in fact shorter and more comfortable.
Benefits of Using a Birth Ball:
- Starting at any time during pregnancy, the Birth Ball relieves lower back and pelvic pressure
- Relieving back discomfort and pelvic floor pressure during labor the Birth Ball is soft and allows movement of the sacrum easily.
- Allows less hand and wrist strain when on all fours taking the baby off the back and swaying from side to side
- Relaxing muscles in the lower extremities to allow the mother less stress and strain
- Mother labors in different positions depending on what she is feeling i.e. back labor, pelvic floor pressure, etc.
- Widening the pelvic outlet to encourage the descent of the baby
- Using the Birth Ball Postpartum to bounce your baby into a peaceful, calm state, Dad loves this one!!!
- Kneeling over the Birth Ball taking all pressure off the hands and wrists allows the pelvis to sway and the baby to rock into a better position for birthing. Great position for counter pressure for the back and hip massages from your birth companion, doula or partner!!!
A mother should always have someone close by, assisting during labor when utilizing the Birth Ball. As labor progresses it is important to hold someone or lean on a bed to support you during a contraction while using the ball.
“It’s not the life that matters, it’s the courage that you bring to it.”
Yogi Bhajan