What is a | DOULA | from a Birth Doula in Chatham-Kent, Ontario

Hi, I’m Brittany, a birth doula based in Chatham-Kent, Ontario.

One of the most common questions I get asked is:

What exactly does a doula do?

A doula is a non medical support person to really be there to support you through pregnancy, to educate you to help you navigate yourself through the birthing world, to connect with you. Often invited into your birthing space to provide you with hands on or hand off support, encouragement, hold space for you, help you achieve your desired birth, work along side other support person(s) you have present, connecting you and really being emotionally and physically available to you. Being available to you early post partum to really listen to you, hear you, offer you support, resources and try our best to really set you up for success early post partum and flourish your way into motherhood. - In long form ha!

As your doula I really want to connect with you as my client, hear your concerns or fears, you goals and wishes, I want to educate you, offer you different options available to you, reconnect with with your autonomy over your body, I want to inspire you to make your own decisions that feel right and in line with you personally. If you have a partner I want to all work together to keep your space beautiful and flowing for you guys as a unit to be able to do the intimate dance of birth together. I want to be available to you those first few weeks post partum to hear you, offer you support or recourses where you may need, to be emotionally available to you and your support.

Doulas are EVIDENCE!

here is an article on the evidence on Doulas and how they can really be an asset to your birth. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/

25% decrease in the risk of Cesarean; the largest effect was seen with a doula (39% decrease)*

8% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth; the largest effect was seen with a doula (15% increase)*

10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief; the type of person providing continuous support did not make a difference

Shorter labors by 41 minutes on average; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference

38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five minute Apgar score; there is no data on if the type of person providing continuous support makes a difference

31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience; mothers’ risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience was reduced with continuous support provided by a doula or someone in their social network (family or friend), but not hospital staff

Doula Support in Chatham-Kent and Surrounding Areas

I provide birth doula support across Chatham-Kent and surrounding communities including Ridgetown, Thamesville, Bothwell, Glencoe, Windsor, Kingsville, Leamington, Amherstburg, Belle River, Highgate, Dresden, Sarnia, and Corunna.

If you are looking for a birth doula in Chatham-Kent or Southwestern Ontario, I would love to connect and see how I can support your birth journey.

Let’s Connect

If you’re wondering whether a doula is right for you, you’re always welcome to reach out. I’m happy to chat, answer questions, and help you feel more prepared for what’s ahead.

Book a free, no obligation consultation