Keywords
childbirth support
doula
parenthood
perinatal care
How to Cite
Abstract
Background:
A doula (gr. “a woman who serves”) is a person trained to provide the woman and her family with emotional, physical, and informative support during pregnancy, labor, and just after childbirth.
Objective:
The aim of the study is an attempt to analyze the role and tasks of a doula on the level of the diverse needs of women giving birth, taking into account the results of preliminary research on the opinions and experiences of Polish women on the support of a doula in the perinatal period.
Methods:
The conducted study was preliminary. The quantitative study explored women’s opinions and experiences with doula support. 526 women aged between 18 and 50 years, who have experienced at least one childbirth, were included in the study. The sample was divided into the experimental group (women with a history of doula's assistance at least once) N=62 and the control group (women with no history of doula’s assistance) N=464. The data were collected anonymously via an online survey questionnaire. The purposeful sampling procedure was selected using the snowball method, and the results were applied to statistical analysis. All calculations were performed in the PQStat program (version 1.6.6).
Results:
Doula's supporting role during labor appears not evident to every Polish woman. The results indicate a necessity of a birthing coach's assistance to a parturient woman, especially with respect to playing both informative and emotional roles, as well as giving help with the use of non-pharmacological methods of pain alleviation. The majority of the experimental group assessed that doula support has a beneficial influence on the perinatal period.
Conclusions:
The doula's support as additional care for motherhood should be addressed more openly in maternity wards. It is also vital to promote and popularize alternative forms of prenatal and postpartum support to help Polish women feel less traumatized and less neglected after hospital childbirth and empower them through education campaigns or special care services, such as doula support, to enjoy this extraordinary moment in their personal life. Moreover, the
References
Acquaye, Stephanie N. and Diane L. Spatz. 2021. An Integrative Review: The Role of the Doula in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration. The Journal of perinatal education, 30 (1), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1891/J-PE-D-20-00037.
Adams, Crystal. 2021. Pregnancy and birth in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: The views of doulas. Birth, 10.1111/birt.12580. 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/birt.12580.
Adams, Crystal and Mica Curtin-Bowen. 2021. Countervailing powers in the labor room: The doula-doctor relationship in the United States. Social science & medicine (1982), 285, 114296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114296.
Adamska-Sala, Iwona and Joanna Pietrusiewicz (ed.). 2018. The report on the monitoring of maternity wards ”Perinatal Care in Poland in the Light of Women’s Experiences”. Warsaw Childbirth with Dignity Foundation. Access: 10.10.2021. https://www.rodzicpoludzku.pl/images/RAPORT_FRpL_2018.pdf.
Akhavan, Sharareh and Ingela Lundgren. 2012. Midwives’ experiences of doula support for immigrant women in Sweden – a qualitative study. Midwifery, 28 (1), 80-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.11.004.
Berg, Marie and Anna Terstad. 2006. Swedish women’s experiences of doula support during childbirth. Midwifery, 22 (4), 330-338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2005.09.006.
Byrskog. Ulrica and Rhonda Small and Erica Schytt. 2020. Community-based bilingual doulas for migrant women in labour and birth – findings from a Swedish register-based cohort study. BMC pregnancy & childbirth, 20 (1), 721, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-03412-x.
Central Statistical Office. 2020. Demographic Yearbook of Poland. Warsaw. ISSN 1505-6-716. Access: 10.10.2021. https://stat.gov.pl/files/gfx/portalinformacyjny/pl/defaultaktualnosci/5515/3/14/1/rocznik_demograficzny_2020.pdf.
Chen, Chia-Chi and Jia-Fu Lee. 2020. Effectiveness of the doula program in Northern Taiwan. Tzu chi medical journal, 32 (4), 373-379. https://doi.org/10.4103/tcmj.tcmj_127_19.
Cidro, Jaime et al. 2021. Putting them on a strong spiritual path: Indigenous doulas responding to the needs of Indigenous mothers and communities. International journal for equity in health, 20 (1), 189, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01521-3.
DeSarro, Allison K. and Rhonda K. Lanning. 2021. Innovation in Practice: Preparing Doulas to Support Cesarean Births. The Journal of perinatal education, 30 (1), 48-56. https://doi.org/10.1891/J-PE-D-20-00011.
Gankanda,Wedisha I. et al. 2021. Prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a cohort of Srilankan post-partum mothers: a cross-sectional study. BMC pregnancy & childbirth, 21 (1), 626. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04058-z.
Hans, Sydney L. et al. 2018. Randomized Controlled Trial of Doula-Home-Visiting Services: Impact on Maternal and Infant Health. Maternal & child health journal, 22 (Suppl 1), 105-113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2537-7.
Horton, Christan and Susan Hall. 2020. Enhanced Doula Support to Improve Pregnancy Outcomes Among African American Women With Disabilities. The Journal of perinatal education, 29 (4), 188-196. https://doi.org/10.1891/J-PE-D-19-00021.
Lanning, Rhonda K. et al. 2019. Doulas in the Operating Room: An Innovative Approach to Supporting Skin-to-Skin Care During Cesarean Birth. Journal of midwifery & women’s health, 64 (1), 112-117. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.12930.
Ogunwole, S. Michelle et al. 2020. Community-Based Doulas and COVID-19: Addressing Structural and Institutional Barriers to Maternal Health Equity. Perspectives on sexual and reproductive health, 52 (4), 199-204. https://doi.org/10.1363/psrh.12169.
Regulation of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy. 2014. The Classification of Professions and Specialties for the needs of the labor market and the scope of application (Dz.U. 2014, item1145 as amended).
Rivera, Mariel. 2021. Transitions in Black and Latinx Community-Based Doula Work in the US During COVID-19. Frontiers in sociology, 6, 611350, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.611350.
Roth, Louise M. et al. 2016. North American Nurses’ and Doulas Views of Each Other. Journal of obstetric, gynecologic & neonatal nursing: JOGNN, 45 (6), 790-800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogn.2016.06.011.
Rousseau, Sofie et al. 2021. Prospective risk from prenatal anxiety to post traumatic stress following childbirth: The mediating effects of acute stress assessed during the postnatal hospital stay and preliminary evidence for moderating effects of doula care. Midwifery,103, 103143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103143.
Schobinger, Elisabeth et al. 2020. Acute and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in Mothers
and Fathers Following Childbirth: A Prospective Cohort Study. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11, 562054. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.562054.
Schytt, Erica et al. 2021. The community-based bilingual doula – A new actor filling gaps in labour care for migrant women. Findings from a qualitative study of midwives’ and obstetricians’ experiences. Sexual & reproductive healthcare: official journal of the Swedish Association of Midwives, 28, 100614. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.srhc.2021.100614.
Searcy, Julie Johnson and Angela N. Castañeda. 2021. On the Outside Looking In: A Global Doula Response to COVID-19. Frontiers in sociology, 6, 613978, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2021.613978.
Stevens, Jeni et al. 2011. Midwives’ and doulas’ perspectives of the role of the doula in Australia: a qualitative study. Midwifery, 27 (4), 509-516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.04.002.
Ström, Ingrid et al. 2021. Experiences of working as a cultural doula in Sweden: An interview study. European journal of midwifery, 5, 20, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.18332/ejm/137365.
The Vortal of Public Employment Services, The Classification of Occupations and Specialties. Access: 10.10.2021.https://psz.praca.gov.pl/web/urzad-pracy/rynek-pracy/bazy-danych/klasyfikacja-zawodow-i-specjalnosci/wyszukiwarka-opisow-zawodow/-/klasyfikacja_zawodow/zawod/532906.
Waller-Wise, Renece. 2018. Fostering Collegial Collaboration Between Labor Nurses and Doulas. Nursing for women’s health, 22 (3), 212-218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2018.03.006.
Williamson, Emma et al. 2021. The birth trauma psychological therapy service: An audit of outcomes. Midwifery, 102, 103099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103099.
Young, Christina. 2021. Professional ambivalence among care workers: The case of doula practice. Health, 25 (3), 306-321. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363459319886115.
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Justyna Stępkowska, Anna Królak, Katarzyna Stępkowska
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.