Welcome
Welcome to New Life Doula Services. We provide families in Greater Houston with birth and postpartum doula services; breastfeeding support by Board Certified Lactation Consultants; as well as childbirth, breastfeeding, and newborn care classes. Our doulas are experienced, and certified, among other qualifications. We keep our client to doula ratio low, to ensure that each family receives personalized care. And, we are happy provide you with the documentation needed to seek health insurance reimbursement. Also, we take pride in give back to our community, by offering free educational classes to the public, and volunteering for Attachment Parenting International.
What is a birth doula?
Birth doulas are trained professionals that provide support to expecting families through pregnancy, labor, and birth. Birth doulas support women in four ways: (1) A doula provides her client with informational support about anything related to pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. She can also refer her client to appropriate resources for additional information. (2) Doulas provide the entire family with emotional support. (3) Doulas specialize in non-medical physical comfort techniques. During a mother’s labor, the doula may provide physical support with the use massage, relaxation techniques, positioning suggestions, and more. (4) Also, doulas advocate for the family’s wishes, and may facilitate communication between medical staff and her client in order to obtain the information needed to make informed decisions regarding medical procedures.
Why should I hire a doula?
Many clinical studies have shown that women with continuous labor support, such as a birth doula, are “more likely than women without such care to avoid cesarean birth and other major medical interventions and to be satisfied with their birth experience” (Maternity Center Association, 2003). In fact, the women that received such support were:
- 26% less likely to give birth by cesarean
- 41% less likely to give birth with vacuum extraction or forceps
- 28% less likely to use any analgesia or anesthesia and
- 33% less likely to be dissatisfied with or negatively rate their birth experience (Maternity Center Association, 2003 Press Release).
Also, women with the support of a doula have also been found to have shorter labors, be more successful with breastfeeding, feel more secure and in control, and be less likely to experience postpartum depression (Meyer, MD MBA, Bruce A., Jane A. Arnold, CNM MSN, and Deborah Pascali-Bonaro, BEd, CCE. "Social Support by Doulas During Labor and the Early Postpartum Period”).
Doulas and Dads
Many couples often question if having a birth doula would “take dad’s place” or be redundant if the father is present. Neither of these statements are true. Doulas are usually the only trained professional that stays with the family throughout the entire labor and delivery. Most dads actually find a doula's presence to be a relief, taking a lot of pressure off of them. In fact, doulas and dads make great teams! Dads can provide mom with a level of love and emotional support that a doula cannot, and doulas can use their expertise to keep mom comfortable. Many families also find a doula's general knowledge of the birth process to be reassuring. Birth doulas are there to provide support for the partner as well, not just mom. Click here to read more: Doulas & Dads: Key Players on Mother's Labor Support Team.