Birth doula
What is a doula?
The word doula comes from the Greek language. In ancient Greece, this was the main female servant within a household who supported the woman of the house during childbirth. In today’s society, a doula is a trained professional who supports women emotionally and physically during pregnancy and childbirth. Where the midwife and/or gynecologist deals with the medical aspects of the pregnant woman and baby, the doula deals with emotional and physical preparation and emotional support.
Why a doula?
During pregnancy, there can be lots of questions, fears or uncertainties. Together with a doula, you can talk about these issues and approach childbirth with confidence. A doula will prepare you and your partner as well as possible, depending on what is needed. Customized care! This preparation includes information about what is happening in the body, what kind of birthing positions you can adopt, how a partner can provide the best possible support, what will (and can) happen during childbirth and what your choices and rights are.
Besides good preparation, a doula is constantly present with you during childbirth. Where midwives and/or gynecologists often have to divide their time between several pregnancies, a doula is there to support you unconditionally and continuously.
Research (Bohren et al., 2017) shows that deliveries where a doula was present have the following advantages over deliveries where there was no continuous support:
- more often a spontaneous vaginal birth (8%);
- less likely to need pain relief (10%)
- a shorter delivery (± 40 minutes);
- less likely to have a cesarean section (25%);
- less likely to have a vacuum delivery (10%);
- less likely to have a baby with a low Apgar score after 5 minutes (38%);
- less likely to feel the need to give a negative assessment or express negative feelings about their delivery (31%).
I am here for you to help.
Let’s create an event together that you will look back on with much love and joy in twenty years!
Why Me?
For many women, childbirth is something they only get to experience a few times. A unique, intimate and special event. Based on my passion for pregnancy, childbirth and life, I would love to be part of your birth team. Let’s create an event together that you will still look back on with love and joy twenty years from now!
So… Do you live in a radius of about an hour from Nijmegen and would you like to join me on this adventure, send me a message and hopefully we will see each other soon!
