Guest post written by Kim Langley CD(DONA). Kim is certified through DONA International and the co-owner of Naturally Yours Doula Practice, which serves the Great Lakes Bay Region, including Saginaw and Bay City. When I tell people that I am a Certified Birth Doula, I often get confused looks and lots of questions. A doula is a professionally trained pregnancy and birthing coach. The birth of a child is a memory that a mom carries with her for an entire lifetime.
My goal as a DONA certified birth doula is to help couples have a beautiful birth experience. It can be difficult to achieve a natural birth in hospitals today. I love to come alongside couples and help them navigate the “birth system,” allowing them to achieve the kind of birth that they desire.
I meet with couples prenatally to discuss the type of birth they would like to have and how to make that birth a reality. I practice bellymapping, a technique that helps moms to understand how their baby is situated in their womb. The baby’s position greatly affects the course of labor. I help with making sure that the baby is in an optimal position for labor and birth.
At our prenatal meetings we also talk about what to expect during labor and birth and how to avoid common interventions in labor.
At our prenatal meetings we also talk about what to expect during labor and birth and how to avoid common interventions in labor.
- Our clients averaged 9 hours of labor (compared to an average of 18 hours for a first labor)
- 90% of our clients avoided inductions with Pitocin
- 80% of our clients avoided an epidural
- 95% of our clients avoided a c-section
Having a doula present during labor tends to create faster, less painful labors. Many of my clients comment that having me as their doula helped them to be less fearful of labor and birth.
For more information on doulas and what they can do for you, check out http://www.naturallyyoursdoulapractice.org/ or contact Kim at naturallyyoursdoula@live.com or 989-450-6933.
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