Labor Doula

When you engage the services of a DC Metro Maternity labor doula for the remainder of your pregnancy and the birth of your baby, you can expect the following:

• Two customized prenatal meetings in the comfort of your home with a focus on your wishes for labor and your birth experience.
• Access to our online, self-paced class that improves your mindset during pregnancy, helping you overcome fears and improve self-advocacy 
• 24 hour, on call support in the event that you are feeling overwhelmed, have some questions or simply need a little validation or affirmation.
• In person support in your home during labor! Your doula will be with you to help you know exactly when to go to the hospital.
• Once your doula arrives, she will remain with you throughout your entire labor. Your doula will:

• Assist you with positional changes that lead to your comfort and your baby’s ability to navigate the process of birth.
• Utilize massage, counter-pressure, breathing techniques and other comfort measures that will ease the discomfort associated with labor contractions.
• Be a constant source of information that will help you organize questions for your provider and enable you to advocate for yourself and your baby.
• Provide you with an active and understanding “sounding board” for the emotionality that often accompanies labor.
• Your doula will stay with you once the baby has arrived to assist you with freshening up, your much needed nourishment, and your baby’s first feeding!
• Your doula will come to your home once you leave the hospital for a postpartum follow up visit. There she will assess your baby’s latch if breastfeeding, offer some comfort strategies for soothing your baby when they are “fussy” and answer a robust amount of early parenting questions!

 

Contact DC Metro Maternity for an in home private consultation today!

Frequently asked questions for your convenience!

What exactly does a labor doula do?

Doulas provide support. The most common description is that doulas provide physical, emotional and educational support to families during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. The problem is, most people don’t really understand what that means. In essence, doulas instill strength and reduce fear for families as the navigate pregnancy, birth and life with a new baby. They do this by being physically present during the process, being emotionally available as things unfold, and by having a wealth of knowledge and resources at the ready for clients as the need arises.

Are a labor doula and birth doula the same?

Yes, the term labor doula and birth doula are interchangeable. We use the term labor doula to emphasize that at DC Metro Maternity we are with you throughout the labor process, and not solely at the birth of your baby.

When does your labor doula come?

The client is in total control of when the doula comes. Typically, during early labor, there are several phone calls over a period of time between the doula and the client prior to the doula arriving to provide in-person support. Labor can be tricky and often starts and stops a couple of times before intensifying. Your doula will help you know when you can benefit most from their in-person presence.

How do you become a doula?

In order to become a doula, the first step is to take the hands-on, comprehensive, in-person doula training offered by ProDoula. Upon completion of the training you must sit for an extensive exam and complete a CPR certification course.

Can a labor doula deliver a baby?

Doulas provide non-medical support. They do not deliver babies, take vitals, read or assess monitors, etc. They provide comfort and compassionate support while making sure you have the language to ask the questions of your provider that are necessary for your complete understanding and enhancing the communication between you and your doctor or midwife.

Is a doula like a midwife?

The similarity between doulas and midwives is that they both are committed to providing the best care possible for the people they serve. The difference is that the midwife is responsible for healthy mothers and healthy babies and doulas are responsible for healthy minds and healthy bonds. Doulas want their clients to have positive birth experiences where they feel honored and heard. Midwives want their patients to have the best possible health outcome for themselves and their babies. The combination of doula and midwife, make for a great team!

Can labor doulas work in hospitals?

Absolutely. In fact, most births in the United States take place in the hospital setting and on average, approximately 5% of expectant families hire doulas to support them during birth. If you ask us, we think those people are really smart! 😉

At which hospitals do DC Metro Maternity’s labor doulas support clients?

We have doulas that can attend births through DC, its Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia. We also have doulas able to serve Baltimore city and county! While we’ve gone all over the area, we most commonly attend births at the following locations:

• George Washington Hospital
• Washington Hospital Center
• Sibley Memorial Hospital
• Georgetown University Hospital
• INOVA Alexandria
• Virginia Hospital Center
• Anne Arundel Medical Center
• Holy Cross Hospital
• Shady Grove Adventist Hospital
• Southern Maryland Hospital
• Saint Agnes Hospital Center 
• Howard County General Hospital
• University of Maryland Medical Center
• Franklin Square Medical Center
• Sinai Hospital
• John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
• John Hopkins Hospital
• Harbor Hospital
• St. Joseph Medical Center
• Mercy Medical Center
• Greater Baltimore Medical Center

Are doulas welcomed in hospitals by doctors and nurses?

Hospitals welcome professional doulas into the birth space as they recognize the valuable role the doula plays in supporting patients. This took some doing on the part of doulas as historically, doulas advocated strongly against medical professionals. In recent years, professional doulas have begun working toward collaborative relationships with medical providers which has resulted in improving birth experiences for clients and patients in the DC Metro area!

Are doulas able to attend births in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Out of precaution, many hospitals are limiting the number of people accompanying patients. Labor and delivery units in DC it’s suburbs in MD and northern VA are tending to permit one person to support laboring people, and some allow a second support person who is a certified doula. All of the labor doulas at DC Metro Maternity are certified, and we have been able to support many clients in person! We have also adapted our care to provide virtual support when you have checked into your hospital if we are unable to support you in person. 

Can I have a labor doula for a c-section birth?

As labor doulas, we support you in your birth, no matter how it happens, and we are experienced with cesareans (c-section births). A labor doula make the experience of having a cesarean birth significantly better for you (and your partner). For a scheduled cesarean, your professional certified doula will help you create a birth plan that accounts for the medical needs of your and your baby, while also informing you on the choices you have for this birth. Your doula will join you at the hospital and support both you and your partner in remaining calm before, during and after surgery. If the need for a c-section arises during labor, we continue to support you until your baby is here. 

Will my doula advocate for me?

When you hire a doula from DC Metro Maternity, you won’t need anyone to advocate for you! You will feel empowered to advocate for yourself with your doulas support.

Can I have a Black doula or doula of color at my birth? 

Our team is entirely staffed by doulas of color. We understand the importance of representation, and know that a support person that you have a relationship with can help your comfort and also helps to address fears around discrimination and maternal mortality. 

How often do you meet with your labor doula?

At DC Metro Maternity we meet with our clients three times before labor begins. The first meeting is to ensure compatibility and it takes place prior to the engagement of our services. Once hired, you will meet with your doula two times prior to seeing her during your birth.

Are doulas expensive?

The cost of a doula varies from doula business to doula business. As with anything, the age old adage, “you get what you pay for” rings true in this case. A doula who doesn’t charge their worth is a doula who may likely have other priorities when they are needed by a laboring client. When hiring a doula consider the number of hours that they will be on-call and at the ready to stop their lives and enter into yours for an unknown period of time. On call time, as well as prenatal/postnatal visits are factored in when professional doulas set their prices. In the DC area, full-time doulas typically charge between $1200-$3000 for labor support. 

How do I hire a doula?

Hiring a doula is a fairly simple process. Just call or email DC Metro Maternity and you will receive a personal response from owner, Samantha Griffin. After communicating your wishes, desires and concerns to Samantha, she will answer all of your questions and outline what doula support looks like for you. She will match you with the doula that best matches you, your partner and your wishes. 

Can my doula help me once the baby comes?

Your labor doula will stay with you after your baby is born for 1-2 hours. During this time, your doula will help you regroup and learn about your baby. Your doula is trained and experienced in helping you initiate breastfeeding and can advise you on the routine protocols to expect during your hospital stay.

Can my husband, wife or partner be my doula?

Your partner will be of great support to you, however, without the training and self-study that accompanies doula training and certification, they cannot provide labor doula support. 

Will a doula make my partner feel less important during my birth?

The role of your partner during your birth is an important one. A professional doula recognizes that. In fact, your labor doula’s role is to be a doula to both you and your partner. Understanding what your partner sees as their strengths during your birth and learning what their expectations are during the process will enable your doula to create an amazingly cohesive support environment to help you welcome your baby in.