ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT DO YOU PROVIDE?
Physical Support May Include:
- Soothing touch through massage or counter pressure
- Assistance with ambulation
- Giving ice chips, food and drinks
- Helping you create a peaceful environment
- Assisting with water therapy
- Natural pain management
- Guiding you through labour and birthing positions
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Emotional Support May Include:
- Continuous presence
- Praise + encouragement + reassurance
- Helping you (and your partner) work through doubts and fears
- Listening with empathy and communicating with compassion
- Accepting your decisions
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Educational Support Includes:
- Helping to explain medical procedures before they happen
- Helping the partner understand what is going on with their loved one
- Suggesting labouring techniques
- Providing you with evidence-based information surrounding pregnancy + child-birth
- Encouraging you to advocate for your birth.
- Ensuring you are always making an informed decision
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Click Here for Onyx Doula's complete list of services.
WHERE DOES MY PARTNER FIT IN?
Doulas work with you AND your partner to create a harmonius team. Doulas are complimentary to your partner's care - never a replacement.
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Sometimes there is an overshadowed realization of the pressures partners face in the birth + postpartum setting:
- Taking pictures + updating family
- Remembering everything you learned in your prenatal classes
- Being a strong support system
- Not being able to take a bathroom or snack break
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A doula can ensure their concerns + self-care needs are addressed too.
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DOULA AND A MIDWIFE OR NURSE?
Medical professionals; while valued members of the birthing team, are focused on getting the baby out safely, the doula's main focus is YOU.
Your doula has worked with you throughout your pregnancy, knows your birthing preferences and will coach you to be your own advocate in the birth setting. A doula will ensure you are feeling confident in whatever choices you make.
WHAT IF I HAVE A C-SECTION?
Regardless of birthing method, there is a way for your doula to support you. Prenatally: Your doula can provide you with information surrounding your cesarean birth. Together you may create a cesarean birthing preferences list. Your doula can help you ask your OB about a "gentle cesarean". Just because you are in an operating room, doesn't mean you cannot have a peaceful birthing space. Birth: You may or may not request your doula to support you in the operating room - If not permitted in the OR, your doula will meet you in the recovery room. Compassionate postpartum support will follow your birth as planned.
DO I NEEDÂ A DOULA?
Research shows that when a doula is present at a birth, labours are shorter, there is a decreased need for medical intervention, and there are fewer complications:
- 25% shorter labour
- 50% reduction in cesarean rate
- 40% reduction in forceps delivery
- 60% reduction in epidural requests
- 30% reduction in analgesia use
- Increased chances of successful breastfeeding
- Reduced incidences of postpartum mood + anxiety disorders
- Greater satisfaction with childbirth, resulting in a more positive birth experience
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["Mothering the Mother" by Marshall H. Kalau, M.D.; John H. Kennel, M.D.; and Phyllis H. Klaus, M.Ed., C.S.W.]
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HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?
Send an email to info@onyxdoula.com OR give us a call at 647.499.2955
WHAT ABOUT COVID-19?
We have and will continue to support our clients as best as possible, providing in-person support when necessary, and at the request of our clients.
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When supporting in the hospital setting, accommodations are made in relation to each individual hospital's visitor policy. In the home birth setting, support is adjusted at the discretion of the client and their midwife (if applicable).
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Everyone has the right to decide who they would like present for their birth; therefore, we will continue to support our clients as usual. However, in order to cooperate with changing laws and policies, the support provided may slightly vary between births. Your care and support will be tailored specifically to your unique needs, and discussed privately between you and your doula.
WHAT IS A DOULA?
"A doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and educational support to you and your partner during the childbirth + postpartum period."
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Consider your doula your coach, teammate + cheerleader for your birth and postpartum period. Doulas are the non-medical support person who will empower you to make the best choices for you and your family. Onyx Doula is a full spectrum doula trained to support you through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and infant loss.
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IS A DOULA FOR ME?
A doula is for EVERY soon to be parent; whether you are adopting, surrogating, or birthing. Onyx Doula supports your family regardless of how it was created - Your well-being is our #1 priority.