Emotional Support as Pain Relief
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In the current situation of Covid-19, doulas are switching to supporting their clients remotely instead of in-person. This switch from physical aid does not negate the validity of providing emotional support for laboring women by doulas. Emotional support is a … Read More

Hypnobirthing: Fight or Flight and the Perception of Pain
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Student Response by Cara Koehlerth (Editor Note: This was first submitted as an assignment in our program. This student’s response is reprinted here with her permission.) There are many different types of birthing classes & theories designed to explain labor … Read More

Providing Labor Support: Pain vs Suffering
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What we find, is that while pain may be there for many labors, not everyone experiences suffering who feel pain.

Using Music in Labor
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I find I use music in all different ways in my life, from a wake-up playlist to a playlist from my favorite movies to work around the house. Music has a way of relaxing or inspiring people, and is a … Read More

5 ways to cope with labor pain
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Even though epidurals are a very effective way to control pain during labor (though that does not mean they relieve suffering or anxiety), nearly 16% of epidurals are not effective.  Sometimes women cannot even get them before their baby is … Read More

What Causes Pain during Childbirth
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Pain during childbirth is a common phenomenon. It is most often associated with the contracting of the uterus. However, did you know that pain can come from all sorts of areas and for all sorts of reasons during labor and … Read More

How a Trained Doula Assess Labor Pain
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This is a preview of a section from our unit on pain during labor. Assessing Pain Fears about pain before labor can help be allayed by discussing the birth plan and showing them ways that they can help work with … Read More

A Doula Trainer’s Birth Story, Part II – Contractions
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Contraction – a shortening of the uterine muscles occurring at intervals before and during childbirth. Labor and childbirth is a difficult process to describe.   Searching the Internet for other’s opinions about this is an interesting exercise.  Most describe contractions … Read More