You may want to add a birth doula to your support team. A doula can start helping you early in your pregnancy by referring you to care providers, birth locations and childbirth classes. She can also help support you during your pregnancy by answering questions and helping you create a Birth Plan. During your birth she will be by your side continuously. She knows about normal birth and can help remind you of your choices as things progress. She will support you in what you want.
Some birth partners are worried that a doula will take their place and then what will they do? I love this chart by Kim James, which answers the question, “Do Doula’s replace Dad?” Often after a dad has experienced a doula at a birth, they become the biggest proponent of having one. I know my husband asked why we didn’t have one for our first two births, after seeing at our third birth what a help doulas can be. He really felt it took the pressure off of him, and he was still a very active participant. Having a doula helped him enjoy the birth more!
The more births I attend, the more I think every mom should have a doula. Regardless of the type of birth a mom wants, having a trained doula helps her to have the continuous support she needs.
