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Perhaps the most frequently asked question
by expectant parents considering hiring a doula is what role the father will take if a doula is present. The answer will depend
on the couple. The doula encourages the father to participate in the birth as much as he feels comfortable doing. But, some men feel less
comfortable and prefer a "hands off" role. The father who is wanting to be present and help their partner through the
labor process, finds that a doula frees them to concentrate on working together through the delivery. The benefit
of having a doula is that it takes the pressure off of the dad to know what to suggest, when to suggest it and how to answer
mom's questions during the labor.
| photos by Sweet Elsie Photography |
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The
doula’s role is valuable as a second set of hands and another mind to bounce off ideas to best met the needs for the
laboring mom. The doula will assist with positioning, assist in coaching through the breathing techniques as well,
and preform massages that help ease the discomforts during the labor process. Often times, the labor can be quite
long and with a doula present, this will allow the father to take breaks and recharge his battery without additional stress
to the labor process.
In summary, the doula reduces the stress level by keeping the father infomed and helps minimizing
the discomforts of labor and allowing him to do what he does better than anyone else... love and support his wife.
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