DOULA

So this topic may be the reason I've been a terrible blogger lately :)

I've begun a new journey and I'm very excited about this! It's something I've wanted to do for about 4 years now but the timing was never right. But over the last 6 weeks the Lord has made it abundantly clear that now is the time. I won't go into details here, but it's been one of those decisions in life that God has made so plainly obvious it's comical.

I'm going to be a doula. Doula is a greek word that means female servant. Or more commonly, today, a doula is a trained labor support person. A doula provides constant support during labor and birth. The idea of a doula is nothing new. Women have been helping women give birth for centuries. It is something that has been lost in recent years which, I think, is very sad.

So why would someone want a doula? There has been lots of research done on doulas in the last 15 years and the results are pretty amazing. Here's an example:

The most comprehensive study was done in 1991. Researchers found that when a doula was present there was a:

50% reduction in cesarean rates
25% reduction in length of labor
40% reduction in the use of forceps
40% reduction in the use of pitocin
30% reduction in the need for pain medication
60% reduction in requests for epidural anesthesia

Kennel, et al, JAMA, May 1, 1991, Vol. 265, No. 17.
Additional studies have corroborated these findings.

There is another study that shows women are 35% less likely to rate their birth experience as negative with the use of a doula. That is the biggest reason I'm doing this. I think the birth of your children should be a profoundly joyful experience. It saddens me that for some women it is a negative experience. I want to change that!

I'm blessed to be partnering with a woman who has been a doula in town for more than 7 years. She has laid a great foundation for doulas in this town and has fostered wonderful relationships with hospitals and doctors. I'm so grateful for that! There is no way this momma of 4 could do this type of job on my own :)
You can go **HERE** to learn more about our business.