Bye distress, hello doulas

You see those two vertical red lines emerge. In the months that follow, you’re overwhelmed, overjoyed, worried, and confused at the same time…how is life going to be? And then, all the advice — eat this, don’t eat this, eat for two. Carry this, don’t carry that, don’t lift a finger. Though well-intentioned, this mostly focuses on the physiological aspect of pregnancy, birth and motherhood. But what about your emotions? And when you need it the most, in walks a lady with a kind smile, saying, “Hello, I’m your doula. You’re going to be absolutely fine, don’t worry.”

Who is a doula?

In Greek, doula means ‘a woman who serves’. Simply put, a doula offers emotional and physical support before, during and after birth. “She reassures, encourages and motivates you, preparing you for labour and motherhood,” says Celestina Cavinder, certified labour and postpartum doula at Fernandez Hospital, Hyderabad. The hospital is the first of its kind here to introduce doula services.

24/7 support

“Any time a mother needs that support, a doula is there. A pregnant woman or new mother is vulnerable, sometimes hesitant to disclose her innermost thoughts even to family. A doula creates a safe space for this. In active labour, the doula helps a mother physically, taking deep breaths along with her,” adds Celestina, further stating that in the ‘golden hour’ after birth, a doula helps a mother do breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact with her baby.

For 29-year-old Pooja, pregnancy was far from a cakewalk. She’d often go down a mental spiral of worry, unable to grapple with the stress that came with a new phase of life. “I reached out to a doula quite late in my pregnancy but she helped greatly, carefully working on my mind. During labour, she was right there, reassuring me, giving me water and feeding me. We did breathing exercises and she told me how to push and where to apply pressure. It was very, very helpful,” cheerily says the new mother.

When to call a doula?

Celestina advises that it is ideal to book the services of a doula in the 30th week of pregnancy. “At Fernandez, mothers are sent to doulas on certain days where we counsel them. In the 36th week, we understand their birth preferences, how they want to go about the process. It is important to be on the same page. She could go into labour any time between the 37th and 40th weeks and so we have round-the-clock phone communications to ensure her allround well being,” says the doula.

Post-birth, doulas help mothers adjust to motherhood. “We listen to what they have to say and also brief them on postpartum depression, putting them in touch with mental health experts if need be,” says Celestina, adding that doulas don’t provide clinical or medical advice.

All about teamwork

Doulas also loop fathers into the journey. “We make sure the father takes care of himself too. Post birth, we teach him how to hold the baby, change the diaper and get involved,” says Celestina, adding that the emotional welfare of a mother is often overlooked. “There is so much going on in her mind but people tell her, ‘You’re pregnant, just go through it’. So, doulas work towards changing societal biases too.” Indeed, this is not a job but a selfless service where the doula goes above and beyond to care for the mother. Celestina says, “A mother has the right to support. No mother should be left alone.”

— Story by Nitika Krishna