Why hire a birth doula?
Doulas are becoming a more routine part of the prenatal and postpartum support team. Yet many mom’s to-be and couples are still not very clear on the role of the doula and for this reason, may not feel convinced of the benefits and financial investment.
I had the opportunity to interview Merrie Anderson, owner and founder of Intuitive Birth doula agency serving the Denver, Boulder, and Front-range areas of Colorado. Beginning within her striking curiosity as a child in the birth process, to her noteworthy training at The Farm Midwifery Center in Summertown, Tennessee, Merrie shares her remarkable story detailing her path to the doula work she is so passionate about today. She also guides us through some of the basic responsibilities of the birth doula and considerations when hiring a doula.
Merrie’s Story
Merrie had an unusual interest in the birth process beginning as early as 6 years old in which her curiosity around the birth experience seemed insatiable. She would ask questions of her mom and her mom’s friends like “how did you know when to push out your baby?” or “what did it feel like to give birth?” Still, Merrie reports that she did not know she was a birth worker until her 20’s when she began self-teaching all things birth-related, describing herself as a birth “junkie.”
As her friends began having babies, they came to her with questions and eventually she was recruited by many of them to attend their births. She began charging minimally to provide this support and soon after decided to pursue formal doula and midwifery training. She did so among some of the most renown birth workers in the field, such as Ina May Gaskin at The Farm Midwifery Center. The litany of Merrie’s qualifications include:
Doula Trainer
Certified Midwife Assistant from The Farm Midwifery Center
Trained by Ina May Gaskin and Pamela Hunt
Birth Doula of 14 years
Breastfeeding Instructor
What is the role of a doula?
Importantly, Merrie points out that doulas are not medical professionals. They do not have the medical training that doctors, OBs, and midwifes have worked so hard to acquire. Instead they are physical, emotional, and mental supports for the birthing couple. While most of the attention goes to the mother, support is designed for the father too, allowing the father to be fully present in the experience of birth, alleviating the pressure on him to take care of mom’s every need, and reassuring him of what is normal. Many of the responsibilities of the doula include:
Getting to know the couple’s birth wishes to help identify the right practitioner and birthing location to meet their individual needs
Preparing the couple with education, resources, and tools to make the birth process successful (from what to expect, what the parents’ rights are, and even down to what to pack in the birth bag)
Preparing the couple with education, resources and tools to make the postpartum period successful (from breastfeeding support and baby care tips, to self-care recommendations for mom)
Laboring at home with mom before she is admitted to the hospital, if at all; and staying for as long as the birth takes
Physically supporting the mom in the birthing room (hands on massage, guiding her through different positions, helping her stay nourished and hydrated, and helping her to the restroom)
Being a voice for the couple on their birthing team
Guiding mom through relaxation and breathing techniques to provide calm and trust in her team as well as her body and to work through fear and tension
Typical structure of a birth doula package:
Free initial consultation-to see if the doula is a good fit for the couple
2 prenatal visits (timing of the first depends varies but the second is usually at 35 weeks)
Attendance of the birth
1 Postpartum visit (more as needed)
Unlimited phone and text accessibility in between meetings
What to look for in a doula?
Nonjudgment-someone who’s not going to project their own birth wishes on you
Diplomacy-A team member that’s not going to boss around your doctor, midwife, or nurses and instead will advocate for you with a team spirit
Physical Support-someone capable of offering physical support such as those listed above-many do not offer this and yet this can drastically shape the birth experience
Intuitive-After interview, you want a sense of connection with your doula and the impression that she is a good listener, and will be capable of reading your cues effortlessly
The role of the doula is so much more than that outlined above and too much to detail here. Ideally, however, her role is to support the couple in every way possible so that they may trust the magic of birth, and immerse themselves fully in this naturally unfolding process steeped in love.
Merrie says that her favorite part of the work is getting to be a fly on the wall that gets to observe the struggle and growth of the new parents, and witnessing their beautiful transformation. Merrie offers a lovely analogy for the birthing process and the team involved. She likens the experience to an ultramarathon in which the birth is the race. To hear our full conversation, visit the Rebel Roots Nutrition Podcast here.
“Once I had my first baby I was hooked on understanding more about the magic of birth.” —Merrie Anderson
You can find Merrie at Intuitivebirth.com and on Instagram @intuitivebirthdoulas
You can also find her and her many testimonials on Yelp.