Do I Need a Birth Doula if I'm Planning To Use an Epidural?
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Kaely Harrod 0:01
Hello and welcome back to Kaylee daily. Today's question is, Do I need a birth doula if I'm planning to use an epidural? This is Kaely Daily, the bi weekly podcast about all things doula Tips and Tits where we answer one question about pregnancy, labor, postpartum or lactation, in order to have your journey in this parenting world be just a little bit more informed and filled with consent. Hello, and welcome back. I'm Kaely Harrod, the host of this Kaely Daily podcast. I'm also a birth and postpartum doula childbirth educator, our newborn care specialist, newborn care educator, not a newborn care specialist, and mom of three kiddos of my own or continuing on this doula series for today. So we have a couple more questions left in this series for now,
Kaely Harrod 0:54
and then we'll be moving on to postpartum. Today's question is do I need a birth doula if I'm planning to have an epidural? Now? Again, this is a yes or no question. Why do I do this to myself? I don't know. But yes, I would say is the answer with the caveat that do you need a doula that's like we could go back and forth right. Like I think from my very biased doula perspective, that everyone should have a doula if they want to doula that means if you don't want a doula, no one should force a doula on you, right. However, a birth doula is not for unmedicated birth only. I think we kind of get like put into that category and especially like unmedicated, home birth, right? Like we sort of get grouped into this like alternative, I say with like quotations, right, alternative birthing experiences, which is a whole thing because I don't think home birth is alternative and I don't think birth centers are alternative. But certainly a birth doula is not just about a certain kind of birth, right? If you think about a birth doula being like an extra layer of support, or education and comfort and logistical and physical and emotional and mental support, then that is necessary and important, no matter what your birth experiences like. As a doula I have supported Plan C sections I've supported, medicated birth, I supported unmedicated home births. I've supported unmedicated births turn to medicated births, right? Like any variation of that is within the realm of what a doula does. Now, what does that look like? Right, because of course, a doula supported birth looks a little different if it's unmedicated versus if it's medicated. Now, emotionally and mentally, the support is very similar. But one difference is that with an epidural birth, you want to help the birth progress by continuing to move and do positions that are helpful for whatever is happening in the labor. Sometimes that's like a baby's kind of staying high in the pelvis, helping them get lower in the pelvis. Sometimes it's like a baby that's kind of like you know, in a wonky position and then need to shift positions a bit. And so some of the work of a birth doula with a client with an epidural is actually helping them be positioned in ways that logistically help with the labor process. Now, that looks a little different every time right, because sometimes your baby doesn't get stuck in a weird position or whatever. And so then there's less like, need to kind of manipulate the pelvis in order to help the baby navigate it. But one of the things about being in labor is movement, right? And I think we kind of pair that up with unmedicated birth, like we're like, oh, yeah, I want to move. And so I'm going to be unmedicated. But actually like movement with medication is also a thing and also very important. So a big part of what we do as doulas is that like support, emotionally, like that companionship, right in the midst of the birth scenario, but also some pre education and planning around getting to the point of having an epidural.
Kaely Harrod 4:21
Right, so, so managing everything before the epidural, and also some logistical support in the midst of the epidural, as well as the continuity that is having a birth doula that you've already kind of established a relationship with in the midst of being in a hospital where you're maybe with a nurse or provider that you don't know well, and they don't know you well, so that continuity is still a part of it as well. Now, my last kind of caveat on the end of this is that all doulas function differently, right and So are there doulas that only do unmedicated Labor's I suppose that's probably a thing, right? Are there doulas that the only support medicated Labor's I suppose that's also probably a thing? I think if that's what you're looking for, certainly you could probably find that do I think that's wise to support only one or the other?
Kaely Harrod 5:26
No, I mean, truthfully, no, I don't think it's wise. Because I think that birth is unpredictable enough that people can expect to be on one side or the other and then need to change in the midst of birth. So you could be a person that had like a few different unmedicated Labor's and then you're like, This one needs an epidural, you know? Or you're like, Yeah, I always have epidurals, I love epidurals, I want an epidural, and then the baby came too fast. And both of those I know sound like kind of outlying experiences, but the reality is, they happen often enough that a birth doula should be able to navigate those with you and should be able to help you through those experiences. If you have a doula that's like yeah, only like unmedicated birth, then you might feel some kind of way about kind of changing that plan, and letting them down or disappointing them or whatever. And I've heard those stories, and they're kind of heartbreaking for me. Because I'm like, a doula should not bring any more judgment to the area. Right? Like, it shouldn't be someone that you feel like, oh, I have to prove it to Kaely that I can do it unmedicated labor.
Kaely Harrod 6:35
Absolutely not. Right. And so, I do think that there should be some flexibility in that, in part because I've seen the need to switch plans, right. But also because I think, who we are supposed to be in the room? Is this lovely support for the person who's in the midst of labor? And how can we really do that if we're not coming to the space without our own plan and judgment around decisions? So So yeah, that's my long and short of the our birth doulas. Do I need a birth doula if I'm having an epidural. We do have a few more doula questions coming in the next couple of weeks, and then an awesome new doula program that I have this coming, that I'm very excited to tell you about. Because I know some of you folks who are listening are doulas, and then I still have space for questions. So if you have a question about hiring a doula question about the postpartum time, send them my way, and I would love to work them into the podcast in the coming weeks, so that your question can kind of get highlighted on here as well. So in the meantime, until I see you again at the next episode, I wish you consent, build educated, consent build births. These episodes are edited and produced by Kaely Herat as I'm sure you can probably tell, and our amazing music is credited in the shownotes as well. So we look forward to seeing you on the next episode. And in the meantime, have a wonderful and consent filled
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Birth Doulas are NOT just for unmedicated labors! One more time for the people in the back…birth doulas are not just for people planning an unmedicated birth! Doulas get put into a bit of a woowoo category where people who are using herbs and eating their placenta are the only folks who use them. But that could not be farther from the truth.
There is plenty of herbal-loving, placenta-eating, wonderfulness happening in many doula circles, but it is right alongside induction, cesareans, and epidurals! No need to be planning a particular kind of birth in order to be the “kind” of person who needs a doula. If you’re pregnant and you want a doula, you can benefit from a doula!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
An important component of a medicated labor is when/how to use the epidural and a doula helps you figure that out!
A doula helps you know when to move and how to move in order to keep labor progressing to the best of your ability
A doula provides non judgemental support to assist you in choosing what is right for you and that includes, but is not limited to, epidurals~
RESOURCES
FREE OXYTOCIN GUIDE:
6 Ways to Increase Oxytocin for Labor Progression
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/free-guide-6-oxytocin-tips
CONNECT with Kaely on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/Harroddoula/
This podcast is hosted by the Birth Prep Blueprint - comprehensive Childbirth Education for expectant parents to feel calm, prepared and confident about labor and birth. Podcast listeners (that’s YOU!) get 10% off! Use the link below and coupon code PODCAST
https://www.harroddoulaservices.com/birth-prep-blueprint
** The Birth Prep Blueprint is offered for only $20 to anyone who qualifies for any kind of social services (meaning that a family has a lower income to the point that they would qualify for WIC or SNAP or Medicaid, etc.). No need to disclose your income, just which service you qualify for and the link can be sent right over. Just email kaely@harroddoulaservices.com to learn more.
If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me @harroddoula
Kaely Daily is produced by Kaely Harrod of Harrod Doula Services
It is sponsored by The Birth Prep Blueprint Childbirth Class
Music by Madirfan: Hidden Place on Pixabay
