Frequently
Asked Questions
What
is a doula?
Doula is a Greek word that is
interpreted in modern times as a
woman who is specially trained to
mother the new mother.
Dana Rafael, an author and
anthropologist, studied
breastfeeding in cultures
throughout the world and
introduced the term doula in our
country about 30 years ago in her
book, The Tender Gift. Dr.
Raphael defines this mother's
mother, the doula, as anyone who
can, by being supportive and
helpful, free the new mother as
much as possible to make caring
for her newborn her sole
responsibility. Mothering
the mother is also Dr.
Raphael's prescription for
successful, healthy breastfeeding.
Doulas are also known for their
labor support skills. Mother
& baby Matters
provides both birth and postpartum
doulas.
What
type of training do doulas receive?
There are no regulations, state
or federal, regarding the practice
of doulas. Therefore, no
licensing is required and training
varies. National
organizations for doulas have
developed over the last decade and
provide guidelines and
certifications for practice.
The Doulas of North America (DONA)
provides their membership with
opportunities for training, and
certification as birth doulas.
The Childbirth and Postpartum
Professional Association (CAPPA)
provides their membership with
certification and training for
childbirth educators, labor doulas,
postpartum doulas and lactation
educators. Mother & baby
Matters doulas meet and exceed
the above noted requirements for
training and certification.
Why
have a Birth Doula?
-
Having a birth doula by your
side can enhance the birthing
experience for you and your
partner through special comfort
measures, relaxation techniques,
guided imagery and involvement
of your partner as the primary
labor coach or to whatever
extent desired.
-
A birth doula can help you
set up and attain certain goals
you would like to achieve in
your birth experience whether
you are planning a non-medicated
or medicated labor experience.
For example, your doula may help
you avoid an episiotomy by
applying warm compresses and
stretching the vaginal wall.
-
The birth doula acts as a
liaison between you and the
hospital staff, interpreting
information that helps in
decision making.
-
A birth doula can alleviate
the apprehension of the
first-time experience and allow
for a more enjoyable birth.
-
Experienced parents may
choose to have a doula to
achieve new goals and improved
comfort based on a past
experience.
-
Women desiring a vaginal
birth after cesarean (VBAC) may
choose to have a doula to
provide the guidance and support
necessary in achieving a
successful vaginal birth.
Who
uses Postpartum Services?
Any mother, first time or
experienced, can benefit from
postpartum doula care. The
new mother may welcome advice and
assistance through the recovery
period. The doula offers
guidance and encouragement to the
new mother until she is confident
in her own mothering skills and
feels physically recovered.
The flexibility of scheduling
allows for increased focus on
supportive help after a cesarean
section birth or for mothers with
other children at home. New
mothers of multiples benefit not
only from the extra pair of hands
most needed but also from the tips
and expertise the doulas have
acquired from caring for multiples
over the years. Some doulas
actually specialize in the care of
multiples and assist with
organization and feeding patterns.
What
is the difference between a Doula
and a Family Care Assistant (FCA)?
The major difference is that
the doula is trained to provide
counseling and guidance, assess
the needs of the new mother, and
meet her needs in an independent
manner. While an FCA may
from experience be able to answer
questions and provide guidance,
she is not trained and
credentialed according to national
standards to provide guidance or
teach a new mother.
What
is the difference between a Baby
Nurse and a Doula?
The concept of the Baby
Nurse which dates back at least
two generations, is to focus
strictly on the baby's needs.
Baby nurses are caretakers and
generally do not provide guidance.
The philosophy of the doula is to
mother the mother, therefore the
focus being on the needs of the
mother be it to help with the
baby, household, or provide
guidance as needed. The
doula's goals are more focused
on supporting the mother in her
goals and meeting her needs until
she is feeling comfortable on her
own. Note: The term baby
nurse, although implied, does
not mean the individual is
credentialed as a professional
registered nurse (RN).
Which
plan of care is best for me?
Mother & baby Matters
offers several packages to choose
from and sets up a plan of care
that's best for you. The
office can assist you in
determining the level of service
that would best meet your
individual needs, depending on
what other support systems you
already have in place.
Who
uses overnight services?
Anyone who has problems with
sleep deprivation, or has a
history of or is experiencing
depression can benefit from
overnight services. Overnight
services are widely used
especially in the case of a
multiple birth. Almost all parents
of multiples, even those who have
family help, usually need some
type of overnight assistance from
outside sources. Extended
care should be anticipated and
arranged in advance as early as
possible to assure coverage. As
you recover, you can begin to wean
the overnight coverage and use
fewer nights per week. Some
of our overnight staff specialize
in caring for twins and have
developed an expertise in helping
to establish feeding and sleeping
patterns. First time mothers
can relax and enjoy the comfort
and reassurance those first couple
of nights home after delivery by
utilizing our overnight doula
services. The use of
overnight services during the
hospital stay especially following
cesarean sections are becoming
increasingly popular.
How
can overnight assistance help me if
I'm planning to breastfeed and
will be awake anyway?
Again, depending on certain
factors, i.e., level of
anxiousness, maternal age or
concern for sleep, an overnight
doula may be beneficial. The doula
can assist you and make you more
comfortable with initial
breastfeeding needs. By helping
you relax, you can get through a
breastfeeding session more
smoothly and go back to sleep
allowing the doula to burp and
console your newborn between
feedings.
Can
I change my package once I have a
contract?
You can always add hours. We
cannot guarantee your primary
doula will be able to assist you
for the duration of these extended
hours. We prefer that you
start with a lower package and add
hours rather than reduce hours.
The doula staff arrange their
schedules according to contracted
hours.
How
long can I use services?
A time limit of six months from
time of the baby's discharge from
the hospital is in accordance with
our insurance coverage plan. In
the case of premature birth, or
infants with special need, care
can oftentimes extend past the six
month timeframe. Typically,
clients have completed services by
about four months postpartum.
Can
I meet the doula or FCA ahead of
time?
Yes. When you register, a
staff person will contact you to
arrange an acquaintance visit.
You are welcome to meet more than
one person if you wish and if time
and staffing allows.
When
should I register?
Registration for a birth doula
is encouraged by the fifth month
of pregnancy. Registration
for a postpartum doula is highly
recommended prior to birth to
ensure placement of a doula.
Registrations after birth are
filled on a staff available basis
and may require more than one
staff person to meet your request.
How
do you schedule when a delivery date
is uncertain?
We consider two weeks before
and after your due date when
making assignments. If you
are designated as high-risk for
premature labor, we will consider
at least three weeks prior to your
due date.
Why
should I choose Mother
& baby Matters
over any other provider of doula and
family care services?
Mother & baby
Matters is an established and
premier perinatal care service for
the Washington D.C. metro area
since 1991. We have a
comparatively large and stable
staff who specialize in the field,
with many coming to us from
professional backgrounds.
Our doulas are reliable, mature,
educated women who practice under
the auspices and quality control
of a company headed by someone
with extensive experience and
training in the field of
maternal-infant and women's
health. Mother & baby
Matters was the first doula
business in the area, and has
remained in business while others
have come and gone. Since we
have a fairly large staff of
doulas, there is a stronger
likelihood that when you need the
help, it will be there. It
happens at times that back-up is
needed which we can facilitate
much better than smaller or single
person operations. Mother &
baby Matters also
provides continuing educational
opportunities for those working
for the company, keeping staff
abreast of the latest practices in
maternal-infant care based on
standards set by the American
Academy of Pediatrics and the
College of Obstetrics and
Gynecology. Careful
screening and criminal background
checks are performed prior to
hiring staff. Additionally, all of
our staff are bonded, insured and
CPR certified. We also
require annual TB checks.
Mother & baby Matters
ensures staff are credentialed and
trained. Our scope of services is
specialized and limited to the
perinatal period (time period
surrounding childbirth), allowing
our staff the ability to develop
expertise in this area that can
greatly benefit the client.
