For the birth of our first daughter, my husband and I took a childbirth class taught by our amazing doula. During that class I stumbled upon hypnobirthing techniques. I had no idea what it was, but it was described as guided relaxation leading to a calm, easy birth, which really sparked my interest. I mean, I didn’t have to scream and feel scared during labor? Sign me up! At that time, there were no hypnobirthing educators in our area, so I opted for a self-study program. And with that, we experienced a serene, easy, and unmedicated labor and birth. I knew right then I wanted hypnobirthing to remain a part of my life.

I returned to teaching art for one more year before I dove headfirst into the field of birthwork. Becoming certified to teach HypnoBirthing® The Mongan Method was a transformative life experience, much like the birth of our daughter. I left the training knowing that I had found a passion and a field of work I can grow into. Soon after that, a birth doula training was offered in the Bismarck/Mandan area. My initial thought was that doula training would be a solid investment to better serve as a childbirth educator. After the first day of the training I knew I was not there just for the knowledge, I was there to become a birth doula!

A birth doula helps a birthing person and partner prepare for labor and birth as a life experience that will impact the rest of their lives. A doula understands and respects childbirth as well as the unique emotional needs of a laboring person. A doula helps the birthing family develop their birth preferences by offering informational support. During labor, a birth doula offers support unique to each laboring person. A doula does not provide any clinical or medical care. Instead, continuous emotional, physical, and informational support is provided throughout the entire labor and delivery. A doula also helps to facilitate strong communication between the birthing person and care providers. Partners meet a laboring person’s need for love, affection, and companionship while medical professionals meet the need for professional clinical and medical care. A doula meets a laboring person’s need for reassurance, respect, comfort, and encouragement. This continuous support nurtures the birthing person’s memory of the birth experience.

There are many benefits to having a doula attend your birth.  Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

• tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
• increases positive feelings about the childbirth experience
• reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
• reduces requests for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research also shows parents who receive doula support:

• Feel more secure and cared for
• Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
• Have greater success with breastfeeding
• Have greater self-confidence
• Have less postpartum depression
• Have lower incidence of abuse

After an amazing first year as a birth worker, we welcomed our second daughter into the world in the comfort of our home using HypnoBirthing® techniques and surrounded by a trusted birth team. Again, I experienced first-hand how beneficial the right support and birth preparation can be. Birth is a transformative experience. My years as a doula have taught me that all birthing families deserve support and that the way we welcome babies into this world matters. We are all in this together!