Jessie Mesa
Brad Nadziejko
English 101-IN2
March 23nd, 2015

St. Elizabeth Hospital based Doula Program

The labor and delivery floor can be a very scary place for even seasoned moms. Imagine being a first time mom and you are facing all these new sounds, equipment, and faces all while you are experiencing intense pain. You look to your labor nurse for support but she also has other patients. You are left to manage your pain. This is where a doula program would be beneficial to mothers in the making. Labor moms could have this option of having a doula provided by St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and in other St. Louis area hospitals, if they were to approve a doula programs. Currently, birthing mothers are not provided with adequate support while having a hospital birth. Doula’s can change our birth community and hospital outcomes in a positive direction.

For centuries women have been supported and empowered by other women during birth. Sadly, the normalcy of this natural and beautiful support system has faded to a cold systematic hospital environment. Introducing the concept of doulas in the hospital setting would bring back the natural normalcy of women empowering women during a potential life-changing event. One of the most single important effective pieces of birth is continuous around the clock support. By having a person dedicated to a laboring mom from start to finish, a doula never leaves her actively laboring client. As a nurse, we have many other responsibilities other than one laboring mom. Aside from helping care for moms in labor, nurses are communicating with multiple providers, taking care of other patients, documenting care, taking breaks, and taking care of other responsibilities. A nurse’s support ends when her shift does. The doula only has one obligation the whole time. A woman in the role of a providing support in a unique and intimate nature during the birth process can significantly decrease undesired outcomes. The doulas don’t take the place of supportive fathers either. The doula’s role is to empower the fathers to be connected and an important part of the birth journey. Having a hospital based doula program at St. Elizabeth would have a great impression on the overall outcomes of births. With doulas on hand less intervention are used. Women are more likely to have successful spontaneous vaginal births. Doulas are trained and educated in providing natural comfort measures and pain management tools such as the use of hydrotherapy, massage, suggesting positions, and even just creating a tranquil environment. The presence of doulas decreases the need for epidurals and pain medication while in labor that adversely affect the baby. An example of this is sometimes babies descend down into the mother’s pelvic cavities in an unfavorable position. Babies can get wedged sideways where delivery through the vaginal canal is not possible and cesarean delivery is indicated. I have worked with a well-educated and very seasoned doula for many years, Lisa Drew. She has spent many hours with her clients turning them from side to side working their hips in rotating fashion, hydrotherapy, and using birthing balls to avoid being subject to a cesarean delivery which is major abdominal surgery with many risks. The providers I have worked with have put their patient and trust in her hands to get babies in favorable positions for a safe possible vaginal birth when the decision for a cesarean delivery, vacuum or forceps was almost imment. Doulas assisting births can also eliminate the need of uterine stimulating agents also known as Pitocin. Doulas work with the body and help Mom and baby work together. When the mother’s body is at work during birth her body is producing and releasing oxytocin, which makes her uterus contract and dilate. If St. Elizabeth and other hospitals looked into the use of doula and decrease in intervention, which would decrease the bad outcomes, I think they would see a benefit.
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