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Postpartum
Doula: Ancient Concept, Modern Necessity
Article
By Susan S. Keeney
Literally
translated from Greek, doula means
"female slave for the child-bearing
woman." Today the word has come to
mean "one who mothers the
mother."
A
pregnant woman will be given excellent
prenatal care and classes to inform her
about what to expect during labor, but
little is said about what to expect at
home after birth. Many mothers find
themselves leaving the hospital within
twenty-four hours with little or no
support at home.
In contrast, in many other cultures,
there are definite postpartum rituals
that go into effect once a woman has
given birth. These typically last for two
to six weeks after birth and include
special foods, drinks, bathing rituals,
and relief from normal household and
child-care responsibilities. The result?
These mothers are successful at nursing
their infants and experience little to no
postpartum depression.
The
reality of giving birth in our modern
culture is quite different. A new mother
barely has time to absorb the basics of
baby care and nursing before she is sent
home from the hospital. Many women desire
to breastfeed their babies, but the
reality of the first weeks of nursing can
cause an isolated mom to give in to the
'ease' of the bottle. How does one learn
if there is no one to teach and support
her through the first difficult weeks?
The doula can meet this need.
There
is also the reality of a mother's other
household responsibilities. These demands
don't cease because she has a baby. While
one can go without doing some chores for
a day or two, by the third day, laundry,
shopping needs, and a deteriorating home
are hard to ignore. Instructions given to
a new mom such as "Rest!",
Relax"!, and "Don't do too
much!" are next to impossible to
follow if one has no support. Add a few
siblings into the picture and you have
the recipe for an overwhelmed, frustrated
mother who begins to feel that she is
failing during a period of her life that
should bring her joy. The solution? A
doula.
The
doula can help the family ease through
the adjustments and the changes a new
baby brings by emotionally and physically
helping the family during the postpartum
period. She is not a baby-nurse, R.N., or
a home-health aide. She is a non-medical,
specialized support person who, rather
than take over baby care, offers
instruction in newborn care and
breast-feeding. A doula may watch the
baby so the mom can catch up on her
sleep. More often, mom will mother her
baby while the doula brings her meals and
drinks, helps occupy the other children,
runs to the store, keeps the laundry
going, starts dinner for the family, and
helps to keep the house presentable.
"A
mother's job for the first two weeks
after birth is to stay in one place and
nurse her baby," states Christie
Flynn, R.N. and Certified Lactation
Consultant for St. Raphael's Hospital in
New Haven. "Ideally, she should be
relieved of her regular responsibilities
and focus on her recovery and her new
baby."
In
"Mothering the New Mother",
Sally Plackson writes, "Paying
attention to and respecting those needs
of the early postpartum weeks at home do
not make you a weak or self-indulgent
mother. They don't make you a wimp".
What a revolutionary thought in a culture
where many women have adopted the notion
that to ask for help would be a sign of
weakness! It is, in contrast, wise to
recognize the normal limitations of this
period.
Some
women are still able to come home from
the hospital into the arms of a
supportive mother or friend. For others,
a professional postpartum doula is a good
alternative. A professional doula won't
have preconceived ideas about you. She is
experienced without being opinionated.
She will do whatever will make you
stress-free.
Whatever
type of doula you choose, let go of the
guilt of having someone do for you.
Remember, all women physically and
emotionally need and deserve a modern day
"slave", the Doula.
About the Author:
Susan
S. Keeney is the Director of MothersCare Doula
Services and the mother of five.
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Copyright
© 2001 Susan S. Keeney, All Rights
Reserved Reprinted with Permission
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