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Doula Services

"We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong." Laura Stavoe Harm

"The experience of bearing a child is central to a woman's life. Years after the baby has been born she remembers acutely the details of her labour and her feelings as the child was delivered." Sheila Kitzinger, author & childbirth educator

Since 1987 BABY & ME FITNESS has been encouraging couples to consider including the services of a birth doula in their birth plans, and a postpartum doula for the early weeks following the birth.

A doula (doo-la), from the Greek word meaning "the woman who serves", works with families, physicians, midwives, and nurses to provide a supportive approach to the care of childbearing women.

BIRTH DOULA A birth doula is a woman, trained and experienced in childbirth, who provides the labouring woman and her partner with continuity of care, emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint, and information so the couple can make informed decisions. Birth is an important life experience and doulas feel the birth memory should be nurtured and protected. Some doulas provide a written account of your birth story. After the birth a doula does postpartum follow-up.

According to several studies having your birth attended by a doula may reduce the length of your labour, the use of induction, pain medication, epidural, and the incidence of Caesarean Section.

DOULA FEES Fees may range from $300 to $800. Fees are determined between the client and the doula. Doula services are not covered by OHIP. Some doulas offer a sliding scale depending on income. There are also volunteer doulas available for people who cannot afford doula services.

The Midwifery Education Program, Ryerson Polytechnic University, offers a no cost alternative through the Midwives-in-training program, 416 979-5104. A midwifery student will act as a doula without payment because she must attend several births as a course requirement. The program only accepts pregnant women with due dates between October and March.

POSTPARTUM DOULA A postpartum doula offers assistance in your home with breastfeeding and newborn care, and will also do light cooking, shopping, cleaning, and laundry. You determine how many hours a day, how many days a week, and for how many weeks you require a postpartum doula. The doula and client negotiate a contract.

HOW TO FIND A DOULA? Doula Care 905 842-3385 www.doulacare.ca referral line provides the names and phone numbers of 3 doulas to interview. Doula Care is a non-profit organization. Doula Care also provides volunteer doula services based on need.

QUESTIONS TO ASK A DOULA?

  • Where did you get your training?
  • How many births have you attended?
  • How many clients do you work with a month?
  • Do you work with a doula partner?
  • What is your fee structure?
  • What do your fees include?
  • What is your philosophy of birth?
  • Can you provide references?
  • If applicable: Do you have any pet allergies?

Birth doulas:

  • Are you available around my due date?
  • How many visits before and after the birth?
  • When and where do you join the labouring woman?

Postpartum doulas:

  • Do you have breastfeeding training and/or experience?
  • Do you have children?
  • Can we meet before the birth?
  • What tasks do you provide?


DOULAS RECOMMENDED BY BABY & ME FITNESS CLIENTS:

Toronto Cindy Battaglia 416-656-4150
Lisa Caron 416-489-4990
Rean Cross 416-737-4086
Crescence Kruger 416-483-4690
Choices Childbirth 1-877-368-5248
Jennifer Elliott, 416-462-1938
Karen McWilliam, 416-516-8701

Mississauga Yelena Skorik 905 821-9875

Brampton The Birthing Touch 905 793-5818

Copyright © by Skylar Hill-Jackson and Karen Weinthal for BABY & ME Pregnancy and Postpartum Fitness Inc.