Childbirth is something which we have been doing since the beginning of humanity. Not only is it the start of a new life, but it is also one of the most transitional times for a woman. Childbirth marks the journey into motherhood and should be a joyous time. However, for many women in the United States, terrifying notions of delivery are ingrained in the minds of men and women and while they are coming out of childbirth with the ultimate gift, lots of moms are leaving with more than they bargained for.

The University of Antwerp recently conducted a study on the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in mothers after childbirth. In their study 24% of mothers showed symptoms of PTSD one week after childbirth and 20% still showed symptoms six weeks after giving birth. These are huge numbers, especially when considering the toll which PTSD can take on one’s life. The solution for this though, may lie in something simple, labor support in the form of doulas.

A doula is a trained (and often certified) professional who specializes in labor and delivery support. They study the ins and outs of birth and use their knowledge to provide comfort to mom’s and partners during labor, both emotionally and physically. Doula’s see the beauty in childbirth and strive to make labor an empowering process for mom’s. Doula’s help women see labor as less of a fear and more of a challenge, and when we take fear out of the birth equation, there are many benefits.

Women who have doula’s during labor and delivery are more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births, less likely to have epidurals, vacuum or forceps-assisted birth, or C-Sections. Moms who have doula’s see shorter labors (by about 40 minutes) and their babies are less likely to have low Apgar scores. Best of all though, when births are attended by doulas, moms are much less likely to have negative feelings surrounding their birth.

Regardless of these benefits, doulas are still not widely used or even known in the United States. They are typically viewed as a luxury of birth, something that only the wealthy can have instead of being viewed as a necessity. A 2006 Study said that only 3% of women in the U.S. used a doula during childbirth, and that is an atrocity.

All too often we hear women saying all they want is a healthy baby, which is natural, but as women we deserve so much more. Every mother is entitled to a birth in which the proper steps are taken to prevent things like PTSD and birth trauma. We need to stop brushing off the needs of the mother simply because a healthy baby is the priority. Infant health is important, but it should not take away from the importance of the mother. Mom’s will always be willing to lay their lives down for their children, but we must stop using this as an excuse for lack of proper care. As women and as a society we must demand proper support during labor and delivery and every sign show’s that doulas can help with that.

References:

• 1)Declercq ER, Sakala C, Corry MP, Applebaum S. (2007). “Listening to mothers II: Report of the second national U.S. survey of women’s childbearing experiences.” The Journal of Perinatal Education 16:9-14.
• 2)Hodnett, E. D., S. Gates, et al. (2012). “Continuous support for women during childbirth.” Cochrane database of systematic reviews: CD003766.