Doula Interview: A peek into the world of birth support

One of the most amazing things about being a photographer is getting the opportunity to step into other people’s worlds. Working with families and carrying out newborn photo sessions has given me many different perspectives on the journey to parenthood.

Recently, I was privileged to interview local Doula, Luiza Morris. Based in Bristol and covering the whole of Somerset, Luiza has been a practising Doula for 4 years, helping expectant parents to navigate pregnancy, birth and beyond. Here, Luiza answers all my Doula-related questions, offering a unique glimpse into this very special role of advocacy and compassion. Read on to find out more…

What is a Doula?

Many of us have heard the term Doula, but don’t really know what the role entails, and how they help mothers before, during and after childbirth. Could you give us a quick overview please?

“It’s really hard to detail the role of a Doula as this can differ so much from person to person.

If I could sum it up in a short and sweet way, Doulas are birth keepers, wise women and people, professional birth partners offering emotional, physical and educational support.

How we offer this support will very much depend on what our client needs. I like to think we bridge the gap between personal and medical care that’s provided by maternity services.”

How did you become a Doula and what sort of training do you have to undertake?

“Before I became a Doula, I was an antenatal educator for 2 years. I fell in love with birth after having a complicated pregnancy and a lovely birth.

The preparation for my experience really opened my eyes, mind and soul to just how powerful my body can be. My connection with my intuition and my womanhood is so much deeper after going through pregnancy and birth, and I wanted to help facilitate similar feelings for other families.

I personally did a perinatal educator course, a Doula training course, a biomechanics for labour course, a hypnobirthing course and a birth trauma practitioner course (amongst many other courses) to help me become the Doula that I am today.

The profession isn’t regulated though, so in theory you don’t need to do any courses… that was just my preference.”

Are Doulas just for mothers who want a home birth?

“Absolutely not! Although I can see why people may think that. Doulas are for ALL births! Including caesarean births!

I have supported anything from unassisted births to elective caesareans… Every birth deserves personalised emotional, physical and educational support. Again, it will always depend on what our client is looking for.”

How can a Doula support you?

Can you explain a bit about how a Doula can help support expectant Mums (and Dads) emotionally during labour and delivery?

“When we’re in labour, we’re vulnerable and our nervous system is very responsive to external factors. A Doula can help protect the birth space, give you tools to soothe the nervous system, reassurance and support.

This sometimes looks like verbal encouragement, a hand to squeeze, a hug, a reminder that they’re about to meet their baby, a massage, the use of suitable essential oils… and, more often than not, we do a lot of supporting their partners too!

We tend to think that Doulas are just for the woman giving birth, but sometimes supporting them includes supporting their partners!

Everyone will need something different, there’s never a one-size-fits-all when it comes to emotional support. This is why we create a very strong bond with our clients during pregnancy, so that we know how to best support them in labour.”

Can a Doula help create a birth plan, and do you have any great pearls of wisdom for that process?

“We can absolutely give our clients an idea of what to consider and include in their birth plans but we should never tell our clients what choices they should or shouldn’t make.

Because of our neurological conditioning and lived experiences, a positive birth will look different for everyone and I wouldn’t want to influence someone to make choices that I would make, as these may not be the right choices for them.

My top tips for making a birth plan are:

• Make sure you include a paragraph explaining who you are and telling your story! Make yourself an individual in their eyes!
• Make a plan A, B, C, D… Birth can be beautifully unpredictable and you do not want to be considering brand new information when you are in a vulnerable state. Keep these plans all separate and never in the same piece of paper.
• Stick to a one sided A4 piece of paper for your plan.
• Use bullet points and forget “please” , “thank yous” and “if possibles”.

Can a Doula advocate for the mothers preferences during their labour? And why is this so important?

“If this is what our client wants us to do, then yes! I think it’s important to say that all Doulas work differently. Some Doulas may not offer this.

Personally, I do feel like this is an important part of my role. Someone in labour should not be having to engage in conversation or reinforcing their preferences whilst bringing actual life into the world.

Their only job is to switch off, go to labour land, get their baby and come back down when they are ready to do so.

Everything else can fall with their birth team!”

How do I choose a Doula?

As a pregnant Mum-to-be, how would I find and choose the right Doula for me? At what stage of pregnancy should you start looking?

“I have had people hiring me at 4-weeks pregnant and also at 38-weeks pregnant. So there is no right or wrong here. Things to consider are:

– The earlier you get in touch, the more likely you are to find someone who you like and is available

– You’ll have more time to spread out the cost (the majority of us will offer payment plans)

– You’ll also get more support during pregnancy and there will be more time to form a strong relationship with your Doula

You can find Doulas on the Doula UK website, Home Birth Support UK Facebook Group, The Doula Directory, and lots of other directories.”

What is the cost of hiring a Doula?

“This can vary greatly depending on where you live and the Doula’s experience. I would say that between Bristol and Somerset the cost can vary between £800 and £2,000.”

Can you tell us about one of the most notable or impactful experiences you’ve had as a Doula?…

“I carry so many wonderful memories, experiences and births with me. For me it is ALWAYS so special when my client has been told by so many people that they can’t or won’t be able to do XYZ and then they just go and do it!

I seem to work with a lot of families who suffered previous birth trauma and are now trying to have a more positive experience, so the look on their face when they go on to have their healthy babies in an uncomplicated birth (at home or not), is always priceless.

YOU ARE ONLY HIGH RISK IF YOU DEEM YOUR RISK TO BE HIGH. Don’t let anyone label you… you’re the only one who can do that!”

Get in touch…

Thank you so much Luiza for letting us discover more about what it means to be a Doula! If you have further questions, or would like to engage Luiza’s support during pregnancy and birth, please get in touch via her email.

Or if you would like more information on birth preparation, birth support or birth trauma resolution head to the New Birth Club where Luiza and her fellow birth practitioner Ellie provide a vast array of support and advice. You can talk directly with the ladies or choose from one of their many workshops that cover topics like birth planning, breast feeding advice and the role of a birth partner.

And, for newborn, maternity or family photos, please contact me with any questions and to book a photo session. Look out for me on Instagram and Facebook. You can find my Pinterest board here too.