I didn't have a doula at my second birth and regretted it!

Let’s start this one off with some statements I often hear from mamas, “I don’t need a doula, I’ve already had a baby” or “I had a doula for my first delivery so I don’t need one this time.” These statements make me so sad 😭. Those who say this are excluding themselves from care and support because they don’t fully understand what a doula is and how beneficial it is to have a doula at every single birth. I didn’t understand it either and didn’t realize how much my doula actually was doing for me during my first birth.

I didn’t have a doula at my second birth! 🤯🤯🤯 Shocking right? Well, the plan was to have a doula but it didn’t work out for a ton of reasons that I’m not getting into right now. So, I convinced myself I’d be fine without her because my first birth was incredible and ‘I learned a lot .’ I went into a high-risk delivery relying on information that I had practiced one time 19 months ago… my birth skills were sooo rusty (more like nonexistent!) I felt so overwhelmed, I was beyond exhausted, and my memory was so scattered that I couldn’t grasp how I was supposed to be breathing and positioning myself. My nurses were of little help to me and told me I had to stay laying in my bed with the fetal monitor on almost 24/7 (I know now that I could have gotten up more and been in better positions to keep labour progressing). Labour progression was moving at a snail's pace and 30 hours later, I had the hardest time trying to push out my baby. I clearly remember taking a big breath to hold and push while my doctor counted slowly to 10, but I couldn’t figure out how to hold that breath, I just blew it all out 🌬every time I’d push. My doctor kept looking at me like I was crazy but she didn’t offer any help. Even my husband was trying to help me with his memories of our first delivery but it was no use, we were a scattered, exhausted mess. 🙈

I have yet to meet a mama who doesn’t want the best birth experience possible. Every mama wants the very best birth she can have and PSST! I know the secret to having the highest chances of that... A Birth Doula (you saw it coming.) You want minimal tearing, you want truthful information, and you want to be presented with all the options in every situation that arises. You want to feel heard, you want reduced pain, you want labour that progresses continually (no one wants to be in labour longer than they have to.) You want your husband to know how to support you during birth, and so much more! You can have those things at EVERY. SINGLE. BIRTH. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my experience of having a doula for one birth and then not having one for the next, it’s that I will never deliver again without that support (and I won’t be the doula present!) 🤗

Here’s the proof of what a birth doula can do for you:

Birth doulas lower the chances of interventions, help decrease pain, speed up labours, decrease the chances of having a Cesarean Section, lower chances of postpartum disorders, and soooo much more. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 In addition to supporting you during birth, doulas can leave an improved outcome for babies as well. By not having as many interventions and shorter labours, babies can benefit from better fetal heart tracings, avoiding an operative delivery, such as forceps or vacuum, and having a higher APGAR score (which means baby can do longer skin to skin 🙌🏼.) This study wasn’t done on mothers delivering for the first time, it was done on all mothers delivering for their first or tenth time! Every birth benefits from having a birth doula present. We can’t make this stuff up - the evidence is outstanding.

Take a moment and ask yourself what kind of birth you want. Write it down if needed to get a clear picture. Those things are much more attainable with someone by your side to care for you, to focus entirely on you, and to support you through the ups and downs of childbirth. 

I really feel like someone needs to hear this, “You are still tough when you have support.”💪🏼 Every mama that delivers a baby is tough, but for some, the hardest part is asking for help. If you are really struggling with the idea of added support, ask yourself why? What could be so wrong with having better birth outcomes? Don’t think of it as ‘added’ support, think of it as support that every mother should be receiving.

Start with a free consultation and ask your doula a million questions if you need, then experience the support and care that you deserve! CLICK HERE TO BOOK.