09/09/2021
Care for those brewing babies!
Gift certificates are a great way for your friends and family to help invest in your birth experience. Evidence has shown that families who utilize doula support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum have far better birth experiences than those who give birth without a doula.
An excerpt from the Evidence Based Birth website says: "A third reason why doulas are effective has to do with the attachment between the birthing person and doula which can lead to an increase in oxytocin, the hormone that promotes labor contractions. This theory was proposed by Dr. Amy Gilliland in her 2010a study about effective labor support. In personal correspondence with Dr. Gilliland, she wrote, “I believe the Doula Effect is related to attachment. When the mother feels vulnerable in labor, she directs attachment behaviors to suitable figures around her, who may or may not be her attachment figures (parent, mate). When the mother directs attachment seeking behaviors to the doula, the experienced doula (25 births or more) responds in a unique manner. She is able to respond as a secure base, thereby soothing the mother’s attachment system. The accompanying diminishment in stress hormones allows for a surge in oxytocin in both the mother and the doula… theoretically, oxytocin is the hormone of attachment, and it is released during soothing touch and extended eye contact, which are habitual behaviors of birth doulas.” (Personal communication, Dr. Amy Gilliland, July 2015)."
Doula support is important for the father as well. The Evidence Based Birth website states: "Research has shown that the most positive birth experiences for fathers were ones where they had continuous support by a doula or a midwife. In the McGrath and Kennell study, the women and their partners who had a doula overwhelmingly rated the support of their doula as positive—with 93% rating their experience with the doula as very positive, and 7% as positive. In other studies, fathers have said that when they had labor support from a midwife or doula, things were explained to them, their questions were answered, their labor support efforts were guided and effective, and they could take breaks from the emotional intensity of the labor without abandoning their laboring partner (Johansson, 2015)."
If you'd like to invest in the care of your loved one by gifting them doula services, please click here to send an electronic gift certificate. https://squareup.com/gift/B7GV5HV8S6GW8/order
Ladies- These gift certificates can also be added to your gift registries if you want your friends and family to know that you'd love their help to hire a doula.
Lastly- If you'd like to read more about the evidence on doula support affecting birth outcomes, you can do so by clicking the link in the comments.
