Characteristics of a Midwife & a Doula

Midwives are health care professionals who provide medical care to a woman during her pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. These professionals have the knowledge and training to perform gynaecological examinations, clinical supervision, and care for women during delivery. They do prenatal checkups and ensure that both the baby and mother are doing well. Midwives take on the clinical role and are trained to help a pregnant woman in an emergency. 

Midwives are certified professionals who can deliver babies even outside hospital birth settings. They are knowledgeable and provide information about contraception. They are also skilled at referring a pregnant woman to an obstetrician during childbirth. They can handle normal child births during emergencies. 

On the other hand, a doula is a woman who supports and provides valuable information to another woman during and after her pregnancy. In ancient Greece, a doula was referred to as a maid skilled in attending to pregnant women in labour. However, in today’s world, doulas are experienced mothers, who provide physical and emotional support along with pregnancy- and motherhood-related information to improve your childbirth experience.

Benefits of Hiring a Private Midwife

Private midwives are professionals who can provide you with complete clinical care throughout your pregnancy and postpartum stage. They are responsible for both antenatal and postnatal care. When needed, they support you during labour and take care of you until your child establishes breastfeeding. Some of the benefits of hiring a private midwife are as follows: 

• Private midwives are highly skilled medical professionals who take care of your health during and after pregnancy. Backed with proper training, they can perform clinical checkups, prescribe medicines and even handle normal delivery. These professionals understand your body and use their expertise to support your childbirth. They can provide you with accurate clinical advice about birth interventions.
• Throughout your pregnancy, a private midwife will respect your needs and wishes irrespective of where you give birth. They understand that pregnancy is a different experience for each woman. Accordingly, they patiently guide and support you as needed.
• Private midwives are experts in natural or vaginal birth. Backed with knowledge and training, they can provide valuable advice and information about childbirth. They can even help you with a birth plan that suits your needs. Midwives may also assist you in making informed decisions. 
• Midwives are skilled professionals and can help you with their natural techniques and remedies to deal with the symptoms of pregnancy and childbirth. 
• A private midwife ensures appropriate health monitoring. They provide you with thorough check-ups throughout your pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. They may recommend diagnostic testing, provide referrals and make collaborative plans in case of emergencies.

How a Doula Can Help in Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum

Now that you know the characteristics of both midwives and doulas, it’s time to understand the benefits of hiring a doula. 

So, what does a doula do during birth?

A doula comforts you and supports you during natural childbirth. They are there to hold you up during your transition into motherhood. Apart from assisting in natural birth, they encourage you to have an empowering caesarean birth when needed. Backed with experience, they guide you through the whole pregnancy and postpartum process, no matter what path your birth takes.

Doulas know how a woman’s body reacts and works during and after childbirth. They have endless ideas about body position, movements and techniques to make the process smooth and healthy. 

Doulas also assist women during their postpartum phase. They provide support and information about infant feeding, physical recovery and infant soothing techniques. For new parents, child care can be overwhelming. Here, a doula may help you with different coping skills for better parenting. 

Works of Renowned Midwives

To understand the profession of a doula and a midwife as well as how they can support you during your pregnancy and childbirth, you may go through the works of some renowned midwives. For example, in her books Labyrinth of Birth, Birthing from Within and Ancient Map for Modern Birth, Pam England explains a mother’s experience and feelings during pregnancy. She thoroughly discusses different techniques to make the motherhood journey smooth and blissful. 

You can also follow the works of Jane Hardwick Collins, one of the most famous modern-day midwives to prepare yourself for conscious birth. Her book Ten Moons and pregnancy courses guides you on how to deal with fears and get rid of past blockages during pregnancy. Each of her works depicts her experiences as a successful midwife. 

Why You Need a Doula

For every woman, pregnancy is an extremely emotional journey. Having someone to support you during this phase of your life is invaluable. Here, a doula is a game-changer. She cares for you and provides you with all the comfort and valuable information that can’t be replaced by any health care provider. A doula is an ideal companion for a pregnant woman. Modern-day doulas provide all the assistance in a hospital setting and help in navigating the important protocols and procedures required for a vaginal birth. 

Differences Between a Midwife and a Doula

Doulas and midwives are similar in their profession. If you are expecting your first child, the thin line between these professions may leave you wondering for a bit. So, here are some of the differences between a doula and a midwife that will help you to get a better picture:

• A midwife is a medical professional who provides you with clinical care during and after pregnancy. Though many of them may offer you physical comfort, emotional support and childbirth information during your pregnancy, their priority is your physical health and childbirth safety. On the other hand, a doula is an experienced mother or professional who aims to provide you with comfort and emotional support during your childbirth. They can also inform you about the process, techniques, and movements during and after pregnancy. They might not perform clinical investigations or tasks but can provide you with moral and emotional support. 

• A midwife checks on clients during their early labour and evaluates their progress. They might not stay with you until your active labour. However, if you are looking for comfort and support in your early labour, doulas are the best professionals to get in touch with. They support you through your labour, childbirth experience and postpartum stage. 

• A midwife focuses on the mother and baby’s physical health. However, with a doula, apart from physical comfort, you can expect emotional support and pregnancy information. Doulas are experienced professionals who can make you and your partner understand the whole process of childbirth. They work to calm you down and make you comfortable during and after pregnancy.