Just like it takes a village to raise a child, there is a network of professionals that can help make your journey to a baby a happy, healthy one. One such professional is a doula, who can provide emotional and physical support during labor, delivery, postpartum recovery, and newborn care.
What is a doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides information and support for a family during their pregnancy, birth, and early postpartum time. In preparation for labor and delivery, a doula can coach a pregnant woman of what to expect in the process, options in the case of complications, and techniques for coping. Although a surrogate will likely not need the same background information as in her first pregnancy, a doula can provide guidance for new circumstances and information for the intended parents on what to expect.
Heartland Surrogacy partners with Iowa Doula Agency to offer a Labor, Birth, and Newborn Care Class to all of our intended parents. This class can be individualized to their unique circumstances and will help prepare them for the big day!
Labor and Delivery
Perhaps a doula’s most common service is attending the labor and delivery. Her role is to guide the pregnant woman through the process according to her birth plan, advocate for her and the baby to medical staff, and provide emotional support. A doula can offer ideas for comfort during labor and positioning ideas for labor progression. By providing support, doulas can ease the emotional experience of birth and allow the hormones and natural progression of labor to work effectively. Additionally, doulas offer support to the birth partner and help them to be as involved as desired. If the surrogate does not have a birth partner, the doula can also fill in this support role, alleviating stress on the surrogate’s family and support network.
If you are a surrogate who has used a doula in previous deliveries, or who would be interested in using one during a surrogacy, let us know! We will discuss this option with your potential intended parents during your match call and suggest that it be included in your contract.
Postpartum Doula Support
Doulas can offer physical and emotional support after the birth of a baby as well. They can perform a range of tasks including light housework, meal preparation, lactation support, and assistance with newborn care. While a surrogate will not be caring for a newborn, her circumstance can create challenges not present in a typical delivery. She may have had excellent support and communication from her IPs during the pregnancy, but once the baby is delivered, the IPs will be tied up with parenting. Not having a baby that others want to visit can leave the surrogate feeling alone and unsupported, and unfortunately it can be too easy for medical and emotional concerns to go unseen. “The postpartum period is still part of a surrogacy journey, and it is our responsibility to support our surrogates at every step of the way,” says Brie Powers, President of Heartland Surrogacy. This is why we offer a postpartum doula visit to all of our surrogates.
Newborn Care
A postpartum doula can also help new parents with newborn care. There is much preparation that can be done ahead of time, but as any parent can attest, you don’t know exactly how things will be until you’re in the throes of parenthood. Doulas can provide guidance with feeding, diapering, and even travel with baby. Taking care of the baby for an hour or two can help new parents catch a little bit of sleep, an enormous gift in the newborn period!
The support a doula can provide even in the unique circumstances of a surrogate pregnancy can benefit the surrogate and intended parent(s) alike.