Tuesday, April 21, 2015

The Difference Between Midwives & Doulas

So, I can't tell you how many times I've told potential clients that I am a doula and heard, "that's like a midwife, right?"  I usually just pause, shake my head, and say, "nope.  really not anything like that."  I am now going to list all the ways that a doula differs from a midwife.  Keep in mind that there is a lot about our attitudes to birth that may be similar but what I'm talking about is what we actually do-the services that we provide.

A doula is concerned with the emotional/comfort/coping needs of the laboring mother and her partner.  A doula has nothing to do with the health and well being of mother or baby.  What this means practically is that while your midwife is checking heart tones and charting, your doula is checking your body for signs of tension, eyeing your partner to see how he's holding up, and working hard to stay calm and focused on your needs and the needs of your partner.

This isn't to say that a midwife isn't also concerned with your emotional state.  She very often is, but she also must concern herself with how you and baby are doing physically.  Let's just say there is a drop in fetal heart tones.  The midwife is busy trying to figure out why and to work out the best course of action.  In this scenario, it will be your doula who is by your side encouraging your partner to stay close and either applying gentle massage or just offering calm support and presence as you go through those tense moments.

A midwife is very like a teacher.  She has a lot of information/knowledge and very often has a lot of tricks of the trade that she can pull out to help when labor gets stuck or a specific complication arises.  A doula has her own tricks of the trade and these all involve fostering a deep and lasting bond between a laboring women and her partner.  The doula is most concerned with helping the mother own her birth and come away feeling heard, respected and loved.

The best analogy I've heard for a midwife is that of lifeguard.  The midwife believes in the power of birth and our bodies' natural ability.  She is on hand to spot potential complications and to deal with them.  A doula, on the other hand, is most like a mother.  She offers her care and love and also encourages her clients to stand on their own two feet.  She knows that the best mother is the one who imbues her children with inner strength and conviction.  She builds a warm cocoon of love and support and then encourages her children to fly.

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