On Advocacy & The Birth Doula’s Role
Why do you need a birth doula?
Many people will answer this by saying that a birth doula is your advocate. They will say that the birth doula will help you to achieve the birth that you are hoping for and will help you ward off the interventions that you don’t want or need. While they aren’t far off, there is an important distinction to be made about the role of the birth doula as an advocate.
As your birth doula, it is my job to empower you to be your own advocate. It isn’t my role to step in and speak for you, or to tell you what to do. I am here to make sure you understand your options and give you the information and explanation you need to make an informed decision that is all your own. I am your support, showing you that you have the power to evaluate your choices and make the decision that you feel is right.
This is a critical distinction. As you birth, you are becoming a parent who will have to routinely make hard choices and advocate for your children. Birth is the beginning of that journey as a parent. By helping you feel confident in your choices during birth, I am helping you to become more confident as a parent, whether this is your first child or fifth!
Becoming your own advocate is a lifelong practice. Personally, I have been working on being my own advocate for years, as someone with type 1 diabetes and as a mother. Battling with insurance companies, asking questions of my doctors, and making my needs clear has been a challenge that has made me stronger and more confident.
Let me share a quick story about my self advocacy skills being put to the test in my first birth… During my labor, the management of my type 1 diabetes had been left up to me. This was awesome and exactly what I wanted—as someone who has had diabetes for years, I definitely know best about how to regulate my blood sugars and keep things balanced. At one point during my labor, my blood sugar rose a little outside of the normal range. On a normal day I wouldn’t have given insulin for it, so I didn’t understand when my nurses told me that my OB wanted me to give insulin to bring it down. I was worried that I would have a low blood sugar if I took insulin, which would sap my energy during pushing. Rather than just cooperating without questioning, I pushed back until my doctor came to explain her reasoning, rather than just giving me orders through the nurses.
This is the power of asking questions and gathering information. We came to an understanding, and a compromise that was a better plan overall, thanks to the conversation we had. My baby was born without complications and I had the energy to get through what turned out to be a long pushing stage, because we talked and came to an informed decision as a team.
It is my hope that whether you have a birth doula or not, you are able to find your voice in birth and parenthood. It is your right as a birthing person to have respect and information. You have the power.
If you have questions about advocacy and the role of the birth doula, please reach out. I’m happy to connect through my Get in Touch page!
With love and respect,
Megan
