“So will I be replaced if we hire a doula??” I hear this question time and time again. One of my clients suggested I explain why dads will love having a doula too!
To you dads out there: The role I play does not replace yours. I am here to support, educate, empower and guide both parents as they engage in this partnership. The unity we feel as a birth team is vital to the satisfaction you will find in the experience as a couple. One of the things I am very passionate about is pointing my clients (pregnant mother and father) towards each other during the process of pregnancy and childbirth, and the weeks that follow.
Here a few insights couples have shared that may help you decide if hiring a doula is right for you:
“I seriously could not envision our birth experience without her. As the husband, the overall process can be quite intimidating in the heat of the moment. My wife and I took classes, I feel like a I knew what to expect, but when things got intense, Susie brought me down. She coached me through the important steps and positions to make my wife more comfortable. Not only that, but she is never not genuine.
Susie made both me and my husband feel comfortable and eased our worries. I wanted my husband to have an active role in the whole experience, and she was inclusive, and so good about making sure that he was included and a part of our discussion, instead of a silent observer.
As we’ve processed and talked through our experience with labor and delivery, my husband and I have often remarked how we couldn’t have done it without her. Her experience and support was invaluable to the both of us; it really did feel like a team effort.
So remember, doulas are not there to replace dads. We are here to enhance your role and to facilitate your connection with the woman you love as you work together to bring this child into the world.
