Picture of mother and father about to give birth in the hospital .jpg

Confident. Connected. Strong. Safe.

Do those words describe your first birth experience? For a lot of families, sadly, they don’t.

The birth of a child is one of the most intense and emotional experiences in a person’s life. The safe delivery of a healthy baby is a moment that should be remembered with great happiness, but not every new parent’s birth experience is a joyful one. In fact, more than one third of people describe their birth as traumatic, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) estimates that as high as 16 percent display severe traumatic stress responses in the postpartum period.

Childbirth can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental illness which affects a disproportionately high number of women in childbearing age.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a sustained fear or anxiety response based on a past stressful event or situation. Both a threat to our physical wellbeing (for example, an episiotomy or Caesarean section) and the threat to the fundamental human experience of being an autonomous person (for example, being subjected to an unexplained or emergency procedure) can have a traumatising effect on us. Postpartum post-traumatic stress leaves families with intrusive flashbacks of their birth, and memories of pain and anxiety, rather than elation and accomplishment.

Pregnancy and the time immediately after childbirth is a period in which support by our partner, family and friends, and community professionals is particularly important. Our evaluation of being “supported” (however that looks for you) throughout pregnancy and birth has a significant impact on our perception of birth trauma and postpartum stress.

Clearly, not all moms who experience complications during pregnancy and/or delivery will view those events as traumatic. But, experts say that a lot of the psychology behind postpartum PTSD has to do with expectations. As a birth doula, I often tell clients “magic is born in the positive space between expectation and reality.”

Often, first time parents have expectations of a perfect pregnancy of Blake Lively proportions, or a beautiful home birth delivery with their exact wishes spelled out in a laminated birth plan binder, without recognition that things don’t always go as planned. And while some families do end up with the idealistic pregnancy and birth they had hoped for, there are usually unexpected events - serious or minor - that catch them off guard or change their perfect plans. When your water breaks unexpectedly, for instance, and a whirlwind follows – a rush to the hospital, medications to amp up contractions, an emergency C-section, or a newborn stay in the NICU – your expectations might be shattered, and you may have difficulty coming to terms with all that occurred.

When we know better, we do better.

By the time your first birth experience left you feeling at best uninspired, and at worst scarred, when you see that “+” sign for the second time around, you know that things have got to be different this time. You and your family can adore this new birth experience - feeling prepared, secure, and excited - when you have a doula by your side.

A certified birth doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support. A doula’s presence before, during, and immediately after childbirth helps you to achieve a safe, healthy, and satisfying birth experience. Educated in pregnancy, labor and childbirth scenarios, and postpartum needs, a doula is a resource that simply makes birth better.

Doulas are trained to provide evidence-based resources so that you may ask key questions to your care providers and make informed decisions about this subsequent birth experience. Doulas also provide pre- and post-partum support including discussion of standard and elective practices and procedures, fostering maximum self-determination regarding not only your birth, but your personal wellness and care. Your doula will enhance communication between you and your care team by encouraging you to ask questions and express your own birth preferences and concerns.

Researchers have gathered meaningful data regarding doula care which demonstrates remarkable improvements in both physical and psychological outcomes for mother and baby. Studies show that women who use a birth doula are less likely to need interventions such as Pitocin or pain medication, less likely to require a Caesarean birth, and more likely to rate their childbirth experience positively. In fact, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists indicates that “one of the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of support personnel, such as a doula. Given that there are no associated measurable harms, this resource is probably underutilized.”

The evidence makes it clear that birth support makes a true and measurable difference to not only your birth, but your pregnancy and postpartum experience. With a trained doula as part of your circle of care, you can be assured that this time, your birth will leave you with cherished memories of confidence, connection, strength, safety, and love.

Bio

Lindsey Bowns CD(DONA) is a certified professional birth doula and photographer in Calgary, AB. adora birth + wellness offers support to families giving birth in hospitals near you including Peter Lougheed Centre, Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, and South Health Campus. adora also offers doula services at Arbour Birth Centre or at your Calgary area home birth. Contact Lindsey today and #adoreyourbirth.

You can also follow Lindsey on social media @adoreyourbirth