This is a question that comes up a lot for people who are experiencing their first pregnancy or who've previously given birth without a doula. Many wonder if they really need a doula when they're already under the care of a midwife. Sometimes parents aren't sure of the distinction between the two roles, or they mistakenly think that one can be a substitute for the other. 

Basically, it comes down to this...midwives and doulas make a great team. Can you have a great birth without a doula present? Of course you can. And, many people do. But, that doesn't mean there aren't many benefits to adding another skilled, educated, compassionate member to your birth team. Remember, your doula provides non-stop, emotional and physical support for *only* you and your partner during your birth. For those seeking an unmedicated birth, that constant support is a huge benefit. For many others who are working through complicated issues (past birth trauma, previous miscarriage or loss, fertility struggles, health care providers who are not supportive of their wishes, high-risk complications) the presence of a doula can be critical to an empowering birth experience.

This article offers some great points on why having both a midwife and a doula as members of your team can help your birth be an empowering, beautiful experience.

http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1039849/do-i-need-a-doula-and-a-midwife

If you're still not sure, try the following....

#1- Ask your midwife if they think a doula is beneficial to someone in labor. Most midwives are very happy to have a supportive, skilled doula in the room. The more support for their clients, the better!

#2- Ask someone who had both a doula and a midwife at their birth how they felt about their experience. We promise you'll be hard-pressed to find a person who had a doula and felt like they didn't benefit from her skills and presence. 

Take care,
​Kate
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If you're as obsessed with all things birth as we are, you may already be aware of this podcast: "The Longest Shortest Time" by Hillary Frank. It's a podcast full of interviews with parents and birth professionals, parenting advice, birth stories, and more (check it out!). Hillary recently ran an episode (#71) about Cesarean births. I wanted to post this episode here because Hillary interviews two people, a woman and a man, about their experiences with Cesareans. Yes, you read that right. Kinsey, the woman, tells her Cesarean birth stories, and so does Ian Chillag (of NPR fame). He underwent a mock Cesarean designed to give men an idea of what it can be like. 

The episode can be found here.

After you've listened, please chime in: if you have had a Cesarean birth, can you relate to anything these two people are saying in their interviews? If you haven't, do you now have a clearer understanding of what you might expect from one? How does this episode speak to you?

We can't wait to hear your thoughts! 

Lots of love!
​Becca

Photo credit: EarlyGirl Photography