|
Due to my hours increasing as the Program Coordinator of the Breastfeeding
Coalition of Washington, and other responsibilities I am no
longer practicing as a doula. If you are pregnant and currently
looking for a Doula in the Puget Sound area of Washington State,
try contacting the Pacific Association of Labor Support (PALS) at
www.pals-doulas.org.
What is a Doula?
Doula is a Greek word that means "woman's servant." A doula is a woman who is willing to serve others through many different kinds of work, most commonly during labor, birth, and afterwards.
Labor Support Doula
A labor support doula gives a woman and her family continuous
support through labor and birth. This is done with physical support,
a nurturing environment, comfort measures, and assurance that a
family's specific wishes and desires for the labor and birth are
followed. Doulas also provide emotional support and reassurance
to the mother and other family members. Depending on the degree
of experience and education your doula has, she may be able to help
clarify certain procedures and facilitate communication between
you and your care provider. Doulas do not make medical decisions.
 "Scotty and I did our best to prepare ourselves for the birthing experience. I was fairly well read and we studied the Bradley Method of Husband Coached
Childbirth. I knew I wanted Scotty to take an active role and therefore was not sure how Kim would fit into the process, I just knew I wanted her there. It
turned out she was a great resource of information both prior to the birth and postpartum, but it was during the last hours of a long labor that she became
irreplaceable. It's hard to explain the kind of support she offered, it was something none of my friends or family were able to give. I never could have
done the last few hours of natural labor without her help."
- Krista, Mother of Annabelle
Why Hire a Doula?
Traditionally, a new mother had her family and women friends nearby to attend her during labor and help with household chores and other children after the birth. Women friends would provide emotional and physical support to aid in
a mother's recovery. Today many of us live away from helpful family members. Sometimes family members and friends are too busy in their day-to-day lives to help with the important continuous support that is needed during birth and
for a healthy recovery.
"We hired Kim on very short notice (I had already begun labor) and we felt comfortable with her right away.  Kim's wealth of experience and
knowledge was indispensable to us during a complicated birth process. She helped us to understand our choices (no small feat at the
hospital!) and advocated for us powerfully to get our wishes carried out. Kim is warm, sensitive, intuitive, wise, educated, experienced,
creative and strong, just to mention a few characteristics."
- Tahoma
Many mothers feel pressure to heal quickly and resume "life before baby". This pressure is often due to shortened maternity leave, lack of paternity leave, pressure from family members for their needs to continue to be met, and the
fast-paced society we live in.
A doula takes on the role of a nurturing, supportive woman friend. She is there to provide reassurance and  guidance during labor and birth. She is there to facilitat bonding of the new family, assist with initiating breastfeeding, and help
process the birth experience.
"Kim's constant love and support helped me trust my body allowing me to birth my daughter gently and with confidence."
- Jen, Mother of Isabella
Studies of the benefits of labor support (the presence of a doula) found a:
- 50% decrease in cesarean sections
-
25% decrease in the length of labor
-
40% decrease in the use of oxytocin
-
60% decrease in the use of epidurals
- 30% decrease in the use of forceps
Long-term benefits of doula care include:
- Improved mother-child interaction
- Decreased postpartum depression
- Improved breastfeeding
Statistics from: Mothering the Mother by M. Klaus, J. Kennell, and P. Klaus. Addison Wesley Publishing, 1993.
My Philosophy
Even though I am no longer practicing as a doula, I want to share
my philosophy with you. My philosophy reflects my reasoning for
maintaining this website. Consider asking the doulas and midwives
you interview what their philosophy is.
I believe that all people have the right to informed choice and
self-determination. When given all the information, options and
support the right decisions will be made. I also believe women know
how to birth and sometimes all they need is support to discover
what they already know. Women remember their birth experiences.
If women are fully informed, given options, supported to make their
own decisions and play an active role in the process, they will
look back on the birth as a positive and empowering event. A doula
can help you to be fully informed and supported.
Here are some ways in which doulas do this:
- Inviting you to use their lending library, providing you with
articles, books and videos.
- Assisting you to write a birth plan. This can be especially helpful for hospital births.
- Being available to help you work through any unresolved feelings
or fears about birth and parenting.
-
Working as your advocate in the hospital to help ensure your wishes and desires are respected. This is important if planning a hospital birth or if transporting from an out of hospital setting becomes necessary.
- Providing continuous support through your labor and birth. This includes physical support, a nurturing environment, and other comfort measures.
- Taking special care to help your partner or other family members (as desired) to participate more fully in the birth experience.
What led me on this path?
After completing my Bachelors degree in Social Work at the University of New Hampshire in 1989, I joined the United States Peace Corps and served in Morocco. While there, I attended my very first births. Upon returning to the States, I
worked in the field of women's health and became interested in midwifery.
In 1994, I moved to Seattle so I could attend the three year direct-entry
midwifery program at the Seattle Midwifery School (SMS). I graduated
in March of 1997. While at SMS, I attended over 100 births and worked
in a variety of clinical settings. After graduating I realized I
felt more comfortable providing emotional and physical support to
families rather than giving medical advice and care. I started my
doula practice in the summer of 1997. I have now attended over 170
births, completing my last 'official doula birth' in October of
2004.
Some of my experiences
I have experience with birth in the home, birthcenter, and hospital.
I have worked with women who have had a variety of experiences including
infertility,  sexual
abuse, prior cesarean birth, post-partum psychosis, and depression.
Some of my clients have had a previous traumatic birth and are looking
for a healing, intimate subsequent birth experience. About one-quarter
of the births I have attended have been water births. I have also
attended premature births, breech, multiple births, and still births.
For a year, I facilitated a support group for women who had a baby
die at term, in labor or soon after birth. The families I have worked
with have been from a broad range of cultural and religious backgrounds.
Often there are special requests and traditions to be respected.
Since 1998 I have worked for WithinReach as the Program Coordinator of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Washington.
|
