FAQs
What does a doula actually do?
“Doulas are non-medical professionals whose primary role is to provide support to families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period by offering continuous care that focuses on emotional and physical wellbeing, including information sharing and advocacy.”
– Australia Doula Academy
As your doula, I will provide tailored, personalised care during your pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods. This may include birth education, planning of birth preferences, full labour and birth support, access to doula library and doula toolkit, ongoing text support, informal birth debriefing, massage or light housework.
Why do I need a doula?
There are many benefits to hiring a doula. A 2017 Cochrane review found that women who had a doula were 39% less likely to have a caesarean. It also found that women who hired doulas were
- More likely to have a spontaneous labour
- Less likely to have synthetic oxytocin
- Less likely to ask for an epidural or pain relief medication
- Less likely to be dissatisfied with their birth
- More likely to have shorter labours
- Less likely to have an instrumental birth
- Less likely to have a baby with low APGAR scores
Will my partner be a third wheel if I hire a doula?
As a doula, I will never take the place of your birth partner. I will offer support, guidance, education and tools that may enhance your partner’s ability to support you during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Additionally, I can provide support FOR your partner. Sometimes partners can become overwhelmed seeing someone they love in labour and will appreciate the calm presence of a doula. Amongst all the intense emotions, a partner may forget some of the tools they’ve learnt or forget some of your preferences, a doula can gently prompt partners assisting them to stay focussed on you and your wishes. Some partners will themselves become physically and emotionally exhausted throughout a long labour and will appreciate an extra set of helping, nurturing hands.
What does your postpartum care look like?
I offer postpartum care as part of my packages or as stand-alone appointments. Postpartum care is tailored to you and can include almost anything you need at that time. I offer light housework, informal birth debriefing, nutritious snacks, foot soaks, postnatal massage, meal prepping, breastfeeding support and baby care (while you nap).
I’m interested! How do I connect with you and what happens next?
You can connect with me any many ways. You can send me a message via my Instagram page or send me an email at alicewynnedoula@outlook.com. From there, I will arrange a free connection call so we can have a quick chat, and you can ensure I’m the right doula for you before we proceed. If you decide to go ahead, I will email you a contract and a deposit invoice and we will organise our first in-person antenatal appointment and begin preparing for an amazing birth.
References
Bohren MA, Hofmeyr G, Sakala C, Fukuzawa RK, Cuthbert A. Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6