Frequently Asked Questions
| Doula Home FAQ's Others Say... My Brochure My Contract Resources Dad's and Doula's Research NYFC Home |
What training have you had? In 2003 I attended my first birth, before I even knew what a doula was. My formal training began in 2005 with DONA International and I was fully certified by them as a doula in 2006. I have been a doula at spontaneous vaginal births, cesarean births, vacuum and forceps-assisted births. My clients have included women who chose to labour with an epidural, nitrous gas, demerol/morphine, and no medications at all. These clients have experienced everything from short labours to long labours and induced labours. I have also had the opportunity to work alongside a doctor, community health nurses, and midwives in Ghana West Africa. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Do you have a back-up doula?I do have a back-up doula, who is able to provide additional support at your birth if needed, and would be your primary doula in the unlikely event that I was unable to attend your birth myself. She is a fully certified doula with a wealth of knowledge and experience. If you'd like to meet with her this can be arranged. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ What is your fee, what does it include, and what is your refund policy? The fee includes prenatal meetings, telephone/e-mail support, continuous support during labour, and postpartum follow-up. Please see my contract for more detail. I or my back-up doula will make every effort to attend your birth, but on rare occasions this may be impossible. If my/our failure to attend your birth is due to my/our error, there will be no charge for my services, and the $75 retaining fee will be refunded. If it is due to circumstances beyond my/our control or your failure to call me, I will keep the retaining fee, but there will be no further charges. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tell me about your philosophy of birth, and supporting women and their partners.
I believe that women are strong, that birth is natural and normal, and that when a mother receives the support she feels she needs, she is fully capable of giving birth without undue intervention. My role is to support you through whatever decisions you make! Some women have a partner, family or friends, who they want to be a part of their birth experience. Your loved ones know you like no one else does, and their love for you is irreplaceable. No one can take the place of your loved ones; they are VERY important. My role is to support the birthing mother, and to support the other people who are supporting her. My training and experience allows me to support you as a team, as well as individually. Having a doula present during your labour can have a big impact on how you remember the day of your baby's birth. You will remember this day for the rest of your life, and a doula can help it be a positive memory for everyone involved. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Can we discuss a birth plan? Yes, if that is helpful for you. Birth plans allow you an opportunity to explore how you feel about various issues related to birth. They help you establish which things you're most concerned about, and which things you're neutral about. Sometimes they can serve as a communication tool between you and your health care providers. A plan is just that though - a plan. My goal is to help you achieve your goals in birth, and a birth plan is one of the ways we can ensure that the lines of communication are clear in doing this. If you are not interested in a birth plan, that's okay too. Please do! I have a collection of books, videos, and other resources related to pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum recovery, and newborn care. I would be happy to work with you to answer any questions you have, and will refer you to other sources as wel so that you can make the most appropriate decisions for you and your situation.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ May I contact you with questions before and after the birth? Please do! I have a collection
of books, videos, and other resources related to pregnancy,
childbirth, postpartum recovery, and newborn care. I would be happy to
work with you to answer any questions you have, and will refer you to
other sources as wel so that you can make the most appropriate
decisions for you and your situation. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When and where do you try and join women in labour? Once I have joined you in labour, my commitment is to support you through the entire birthing process. I prefer to at least speak to you on the phone before you go to the hospital, because once you arrive things can happen pretty quickly. As soon as you begin to suspect that you might be in labour, is a good time to give me a heads-up! You should be aware that for health reasons I am not able to spend extended periods of time in a smoking environment. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Do you meet with me/us after the birth to review the labour and answer questions? Absolutely. Depending on the circumstances I will either call or come visit you within 24 hours of the birth. Once you are settled (at home) I will make arrangements to come see you to talk through your experience and answer any questions you may have. Depending on the circumstances we may meet more than once. In some cases I have talked to 'Mom' on the phone, then not seen her again until two weeks after the birth. In other cases I have visited in person with 'Mom' 2 or more times a week for the first couple weeks. It depends on what you feel you need. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ What training/experience do you have with breastfeeding? Part of my doula training includes basic breastfeeding techniques and information. I can help you establish breastfeeding shortly after the birth, and can troubleshoot with you over the first couple weeks. I have also taken a LaLecheLeague course on low-milk production and techniques for helping resolve this.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Do you take pictures?
I usually bring my
digital camera with me, and will take pictures if you want. Most of the
time I don't take any pictures until after the baby is born and
everyone is settled, because during your labour both my hands are busy
supporting you! If you'd like more pictures taken though, we can
discuss this. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Do you have any other skills that would be helpful to me?I have a certificate in level two Therapeutic Touch, and will be taking level three in 2007. I am also familiar with the basics of Emotional Freedom Technique, acupressure, massage, and aromatherapy. I have current Standard First Aid and CPR certifications. I have monitored the health of 16 people (ages 8 to 40+) while in Africa on short-term missions. Under the supervision of a midwife, I have had the privilege of assisting in the delivery of a baby. I have been trained in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, and I have basic training in interviewing and counseling.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ For more information by e-mail at <sarah@nyfc.org> or by phone at (905) 375 5618. |