Doula Support & Childbirth Education Are Like Cookies & Milk
Some things in life are made better when they’re together. Milk and cookies. Peanut butter and jelly. Macaroni and cheese. Doula support and childbirth education. All solid choices independently but the combination of the two is unmatched. Maybe you haven’t heard of that last one, but I promise you, it’s just as cohesive of a relationship as milk and cookies!
Hiring a birth doula helps ensure you and your partner are supported and confident during your pregnancy and birth journey. Just knowing that you will have someone whose sole focus is YOU during this process can relieve so much unanticipated stress.
In order to ensure you receive the most out of your experience with a birth doula, it is beneficial to ALSO invest in a quality childbirth education workshop!
Here are three reasons why you (and your partner) will benefit from the combination of doula support and childbirth education workshops:
Your DOB doula is intimately familiar with our childbirth education curriculum.
She is able to help you recall 3rd trimester health and safety information and communicate your preferences and priorities for your birth experience with your care provider through your pregnancy. Recognizing that your body was preparing for labor (hello too many trips to the bathroom!) meant you were able to give your doula a much appreciated heads up at 9 pm instead of 3 am! During labor, your doula can offer reminders to use your B.R.A.I.N. to make decisions and ensure your partner feels confident with how and when to use the hip squeeze they learned during Comfort Measures.
Your childbirth education workshop will set the framework for what to expect.
Having a foundational knowledge of the ‘what ifs’ of pregnancy and birth can help you to avoid potentially serious complications. Unfortunately, not every aspect of pregnancy, labor, birth, and/or postpartum always goes perfectly according to plan. For example, because you’ve taken a childbirth education course together, your partner was able to recognize that the persistent headache you’ve had for the last 24 hours, may be outside of the range of normal and requires a call to your provider. Having the knowledge of what is expected at each stage of this journey helps you to better understand the process, communicate your concerns, and make decisions that are best for your family.
A well-prepared partner means better support for you.
Taking a workshop together takes the responsibility to inform and educate your partner, off of your shoulders. Chances are that you, as the birthing person, have shouldered much of the responsibility in researching and preparing for the birth of your baby. You may have sent resources – books, podcasts, TikTok videos, and articles in their direction but most partners benefit more from receiving information directly from a unbiased professional.
Having access to a professional birth doula throughout your pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum experiences means having a sounding board for thoughts, questions, and concerns.
But the saying is true, you don’t know what you don’t know. Taking a childbirth education workshop and conferring with your doula can help you to devise questions for your providers so you aren’t left responding “I don’t know; what should I be asking?” at the end of your next prenatal visit!
