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The Canadien Champion, Fnday, Oc"oer 22, 1999 - 7 Doulas can help birthing mothers ease pain Fo By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Halton wornen now have an added choice when it cornes to childbirth. Thanks to the expansion of a Toronto- based non-profit organization, boulas have arrived in the region. They are comiing equipped wiih a birth bag bursting with aromatherapy oils, reflexology knowledge, a soothing manner and reams of information. Anything, in other words, to make the birih experience a smooth and natural one for expectant moins. Put simply, a Doula is a woman experi- enced witb childbirth wbo is there exclu- sively for the emotional and physical coin- fort of the mother and family. The ides is to make the experience as natural as possible by following the motb- er's own instincts, said Kim Etherington, a Douta with Choices Childbirth Education and Douta Services (CCEDS). "We want to watch her and follow her lead," she said. 'The woman is the guide down the path. And we are there to clear the path tor lier." CCEDS bas been offering Douta ser- vices since 1995 in the Toronto ares. Services now include Halton Just recently they have expanded their services to include Halton and Peel. But Doutas are not a new phenomenon, said Ms Etherington. "They have been around since women have been having babies," sbe said. And their influence is growing. In 1992, only 200 Doutas were regis- tered with the certification organization Doulas of North America. Today, there are close to 3,000. Douta is a Greek word meaning head femate servant, since that was wbo tradi- iionatly took care of the mother during a birth. There is-no clinicat compontent to the Doula's rote. She is not trained as a doctor or a midwife. But she plays an often negtected rote of ensuring tbe comfort and wett-being of the mother and family. The idea is to give mothers back choice and conirol. And that often means following ber gui instincts, said Ms Etherington. "We realty believe in instinctual birth. We don't believe in a technique," she said. "That would be making an assumption that att women birth the saine way." And with a Douta present, women are not expected to simply lie down for labour if they don't wani to. That can actually increase pain, leading t0 more requests for epidurals than may actualty be necessary, said Ms Etherington. "We really encourage women to main- tain their mobility during labor," she said. "Wben- ihey are in bed, lying on their backs, il absotutely increases the pain." Not that CCEDS are againsi epidurals or any other kind of birihing tool. Instead tbey are att for giving mothers enough information 10 make an educated choice. That means getiing together to devise a birthing wish-list before tabor begins. A Douta can't make thai wisb liai corne true, wamned Ms Etherington. But she can ai leasi use il as a guideline 10 betp the moiber feel more retaxed. "-It gives us something to shoot for," she said. Ms Etheringion bas had two children, botb born afier more than 40 hours of labour. But the firsi birth left ber shaken and vulnerable to feelings of post-partumn doubis ber ability to make good choices," In Ms Etheringtori's case, the wrong event depression. said Ms Etherington. 'But a woman who deciajon was being admiùtted to the hospital Tbat' s because a traumatic birtb experi- gives birth of bier own power, there is less in the very early stages of labour wiib ber lis tings ence can lead to feelings of inadequacy in doubi." first chitd. the moiber, said Ms Etberington. Cacd fetSo wben bier labour seernet staîl, to 878 As a Douta, sbe specializes in supporting Cacd fetinterventions such as breaking bier waier 4 4 women wbo have undergone C-sections Not knowing ail the options can lead 10 were undertaken. but are aiming for a vaginal birib nexi. whai Ms Etberington refers to as the cas- That ted 10 pain, and an epiduralto1 ease a y 'l think if a woman bas a cesarean sec- cade effeci. il. a y~ lion and doubis the necessity of it, she That happens when one wrong decision But tbe epidural froze labour in its of w k. doubts bier abiliiy to be a good moiher. She leads bo a waterfatl of otbers. * cee LOW-INCOME on page 25 M