Any woman who has given birth will tell you that pregnancy is not an entirely smooth ride. There are many things that happen in that space of nine months when a woman is carrying a growing baby inside her womb.
Besides having to deal with the fact that one’s body is changing, there is body ache, fatigue, nausea, and that looming uncertainty and fear of what to expect as the birth date draws closer.
It is for these reasons that family members, relatives, and friends selflessly give overwhelming love and support to expectant mothers.
But did you know there are professional women who can be hired to give this same kind of care to an expectant mother?
These are called birth doulas and they help provide physical and emotional support to both the mothers and their partners. They meet with moms well before their due date to help them prepare for birth and develop a supportive relationship; they are by your side from the time you go into labor to a few hours after you deliver.
I know that in the African setting, expectant women have their mothers, aunties, and sisters to support them while giving birth but the difference is that the doulas are trained personnel.
A doula is there to support your wishes by offering practical kinds of suggestions for comfort. If you want to scream, they will encourage you to do it, that if it helps. If you want a massage, you will get it. These doulas will be there purposely for you, to support your wishes and desires for birth, and not for any other member of the family.
Besides the reason that many expectant mothers have overwhelming support from family members at the time they are going to give birth, I believe the reason doula services are not common in Africa is that many women do not know that they exist.
That is why the information needs to be out there. I know there are women who would want someone at their side from the time of conception to childbirth but then are not aware of these services. With a doula’s services, expectant mothers and their partners can make better-informed choices as well as have a more positive attitude towards childbirth.