Doulas And Planned Cesareans
By Expert Contributor Lisa Dowling
Image via: pregnancyandbaby.com
The Cesarean Doula: Doulas in general are becoming more and more known in the birthing community. Don’t get me wrong there are still people and indeed entire areas that may have to look up what a Doula is. But for the most part many know that a Doula is someone who provides informational, physical and emotional support to women in labor or in the postpartum period. Doula are non-medical professionals.
Often for labor Doulas the assumption seems to be that you hire a Doula if you are planning a vaginal birth. I’ve seen many Moms, and some Doulas even, ask the question “why would you hire a Doula for a planned cesarean?”
I suppose a planned cesarean sounds so – planned. Unlike labor where you need physical comfort measures and someone to help you focus, with a planned event where everything is scheduled perhaps it’s thought that there is no need for extra support.
Personally I think a client would get as much value having a Doula for a planned cesarean as a planned vaginal birth. The following are just some of the advantages of hiring a Doula for a cesarean delivery:
Preparation – a cesarean should be prepared for just like preparing for a planned vaginal birth. It is major abdominal surgery after all, just because it has become hugely common with an average of one in three Moms having a cesarean delivery should by no means over shadow the fact that this is not just a minor op. Your Doula can help you understand exactly what a cesarean involves in a positive way by talking you through it and perhaps pointing you in the right direction of some positive caesarean videos.
Nerves – we all have them! Even if you think it won’t rattle you, there will always be a wobble. Having a Doula to call on the phone in the weeks leading up to it and then with you and your partner on the day to keep you calm and relaxed will play a huge role in your experience of birth. Often the partners or husbands can find cesareans quite intense when the gown goes on and it becomes real. Doulas are there to support both Mother and Father on the day to help ease those anxieties.
Birth preferences – like having a Doula, I think that birth preferences are as important for cesarean deliveries. Things like delayed cord clamping, skin to skin in theatre, preferred feeding method, and much more all apply equally to cesarean and vaginal births. Having a Doula gives you access to her expertise in preparing your birth preferences and your Doula may have suggestions for things you had not thought of that you want.
The unexpected – it happens with cesareans too. Sometimes for whatever reason an epidural may not take properly and the need for general anaesthetic could arise. This usually means that Dad (and your Doula if your hospital allows both in for the cesarean) may need to wait outside. Your obstetrician and the nurses will mostly be focusing on the physical aspects of what is to come. Having a Doula present to provide emotional support to both Mom and Dad could be invaluable to you both. Your Doula can also assist Dad in having skin to skin with baby until you come out of recovery ensuring your baby has as natural and calm a start as possible.
Breastfeeding – If you are planning on breastfeeding after your cesarean then a Doula will be of great assistance to you. It’s widely known that there can be issue with milk supply being late coming in after a cesarean delivery. A good Doula will be familiar with acupressure points, not just for labor, but also for lactation. Labor Doulas can spend up to about 12 hours with a laboring client. Speak to your Doula about her cesarean packages and see how many hours in hospital support she offers in them. Having some extra one to one care when you are bed bound will big a huge relief when the time comes. Little things like just getting the baby to you from the cot for you to feed whilst Dad is on the phone spreading the good news can be a big help.
Recovery – After a cesarean you really need to take it easy for the first few weeks whilst your body heals. Best advice I can give is to have your Doula tailor a package with some extra postpartum hours for you. Things like vacuuming can do damage to your scar so an extra set of hands will be a great help.
Talk to us at Positive Birth Agency or your local Doula services provider today about how we can prepare you for a positive cesarean birth experience.