Be supported from pregnancy to motherhood
What is a Doula?
In nearly every culture of the world, women have traditionally surrounded themselves with other women to care for them during their birthing journey.
The word “Doula” is a Greek word meaning woman servant or caregiver. Today it refers to someone who offers physical, emotional, and informational support to a woman and her partner during and after childbirth.
A Doula (also known as a birth coach) believes in mothering the mother, enabling a woman to have the most satisfying experience that she can from pregnancy into motherhood.
What is the role of a Doula?
A Doula’s main role is to accompany women and their partners in labour to help ensure a satisfying birth experience. The aim of a Doula is to enhance the well being of the mother during pregnancy, labour and birth.
We offer help and guidance on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation techniques, movement, and positioning. Perhaps the most crucial role for Doulas is to provide continuous emotional reassurance advocate for the woman when needed and provide comfort to the labouring mother.
Doulas are not medically skilled and don’t perform clinical tasks. A Doula's goal is to help the woman have a safe and satisfying birthing journey, as defined by the woman.
When a Doula is present, some women feel less need for pain medications or may postpone the need until later in labour.
However, some women may need pain relief, and the Doula’s role is not to judge or discourage her from receiving it.
The comfort and reassurance offered by the Doula are beneficial, regardless of the use of pain medication.
What are the benefits of a Doula?
Reduction on caesarian rate, shorter labour, reduction in the need for epidurals, reduction in forcep use, reduction in syntocinon use (induction), reduction in analgesia use (narcotics)
“If we are to heal the planet, we must begin by healing birthing.”
~ Agnes Sallet Von Tannenberg
Be Birth Doula Packages
As a Doula, I believe that all women deserve a safe and empowering birth experience. I also believe that they need a strong support team during pregnancy, birth and the post natal period. A strong team will provide the confidence and safe haven women require to have a positive birthing journey.
At BeBirth we offer services that can be tailored to your individual needs. Below is a guide to our packages.
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Doula Deluxe Birth Package
This package is designed for the woman wanting a complete circle of care from pregnancy, birth and beyond. Be Birth will provide doula support, education, and wellness services.
Self Investment: $3900
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Doula Standard Package
This package will provide you with full traditional Doula support, throughout your pregnancy and at birth.
Self Investment: $3200
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1:1 Childbirth Coaching
Be guided through your pregnancy with sensitivity and encouragement with personalised coaching from Brooke, a highly experienced doula.
Self Investment: $695
Add ons
Birth debrief to process previous birth experiences (phone or face to face) $200
Placenta Encapsulation $350
Private Baby massage course $150 (includes organic massage oil and handouts)
Birth Sarongs $35
Extra antenatal session $200
Private Prenatal Yoga sessions (1.5 hrs) $150
The Benefits of Doula Support
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Better bonding with baby and partner after birth
Lower rates of Post Natal Depression
Higher rates of successful breastfeeding
Greater sense of achievement
Greater sense of support
Greater satisfaction with her partners role in supporting her in labour
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Less pressure as the sole support person
Ability to have breaks without abandoning partner
Encouragement and guidance in how to support a labouring woman
Emotional support and reassurance
Greater satisfaction for the support you are able to provide your partner
Greater sense of involvement in being able to absorb the birth experience
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Less admissions to neonatal/special care nurseries
Higher rates of breastfeeding success
Higher AGPAR ratings after birth
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Why do I need a Doula if I have my partner?
A doula isn’t just for the woman, a doula is very much there for the support of the partner as well. Offering suggestions, helping with massage tips, giving the partner time to recharge with either fresh air or a power nap, it’s a team effort.
Then the woman can feel she is supported and so is her partner. Sometimes a gentle reminder to partners that what is happening is normal can reassure then and calm their mind. I have had many partners say post birth thank God you were there!
I think to put all the pressure on the partner to be the only support person can be challenging. Most couples don’t start learning about labour and birth until it’s a journey they take. It then becomes like a crash course in all things birth and at times can be hard to remember everything. A doula on the big day doesn’t take over but acts as a guiding force for the couple to help them achieve the birth they desire.
Can you claim doula services through private health Insurance or Medicare?
As the work of a doula is not governed under a registered board, the fee for doula services isn’t claimable through private health funds or Medicare.
Do all hospitals allow doulas?
Yes, it is within your right as a consumer to have birth support at the time of labour in all hospitals in Australia. As we have experienced in the past during Covid these rights were restricted for many women with very challenging consequences for their emotional and physical wellbeing. Hopefully this is all in the past and women will always have the right to be well supported for their labour and birth.
If I am wanting a VBAC and I then need a C Section is the doula fee refunded?
As a Doula I charge a flat fee, it is impossible to charge per hour given the unpredictability of labour and birth some are long some are short and the outcome is not known. The fee is not just for the birth, it covers the antenatal sessions, emails, phone calls, on-call period and any hospital visit that clients may need me to attend for guidance and support. Along with the labour and birth support and followed by post-natal care. The fee is not indicative of the type of birth that occurs so no part of the fee is refunded for a c section as I have been on call and available and can still offer support when a c section is needed.
Is a Doula Medically trained?
As a doula I do not offer any clinical care such as blood pressure, vaginal exams or foetal monitoring that is not within my scope of practice.
I do however have up to date first aid training and so I am confident in any circumstance where medical help is needed and I can act accordingly.