Any expectant mother can benefit from the nurturing support of a doula! You do not need to be planning a natural birth to benefit from the presence and support a doula provides. I have had the pleasure of supporting mothers and couples going through all types of birth experiences.
Many couples find it to be a fabulous idea to invest in preparing for your birth with childbirth classes, however, birth is not something we can completely control. Normally some things won't go exactly as planned and sometimes they end up far from what was expected. Does that mean the family will be destined to have a terrible birth experience? It does not have to mean that! Having a doula with you provides a continuity of care that is difficult to come by in today's fast-paced medical center. Doctors, nurses and often midwives who work in hospitals have a lot to manage and they sadly just do not have the time to devote a lot of attention to each patient, as I am sure they would wish for. This is where having the constant support of a doula can make a world of difference to the laboring mother and her support people. A doula will remain with the mother from the time she begins needing support in labor on through the birth of her baby and beyond! It is something that my clients have mentioned they were extremely grateful to have.
What if you are planning a scheduled cesarean section? You could still greatly benefit from the presence and care of a doula! There are many services a doula can provide as you prepare for surgery, go through your birth and recover. Even if you are having a scheduled cesarean birth, you still have options! A doula can help you advocate for those things that are most important to you!
What if you have a high-risk pregnancy? A doula can help you stay as healthy and low-risk as possible in other areas and can often provide the extra emotional support needed to go through a difficult pregnancy. All the other benefits of a doula still apply to high-risk pregnancies.
What if you choose an out-of-hospital birth? You could also benefit from the presence and support of a doula. Many mothers are still going to labor for a considerable amount of time before they head to the birthing center or call their homebirth midwives to arrive at their home. Doulas can provide support throughout the active labor, and often arrive before the midwives. Many mothers report feeling better supported and better able to work through their labors when supported by a doula throughout their active labor, birth and beyond.
Studies show that doulas decrease your risk of complications and interventions and are associated with better birth outcomes! So, why not contact a doula and set up a free consultation today. What questions do you have about doula services?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3647727/
​https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/15/463223250/doula-support-for-pregnant-women-could-improve-care-reduce-costs

I created Carolina Moms Unite as a way to provide on-going support and community connection among new mothers, my childbirth students and doula clients. Mothers come and share what is on their hearts. Maybe they are going through struggles or changes and they have questions. This is not my time to talk, but rather their time to share not only their questions but also what has worked or is working for them! I encourage everyone to treat the gatherings like a buffet. Take what they like and leave the rest behind! We are diverse in our mothering styles, but that is to be expected and we embrace the differences and show compassion and acceptance to one another.
Motherhood is so rewarding, yet the challenges are real. Modern mothers do not have the support systems in place like they had in years past. With the electronic craze sweeping America, mothers report feeling much more lonely than in the past. Do you have the support you need? Do you have questions about pregnancy, mothering, how your body has changed after giving birth, or are you struggling with depression or feeling lonely? Getting into a support group can help meet your needs, find out how much you have to offer to help others and allow you to build lasting friendships.
Beginning in February 2018 we are going to try alternating our meeting locations between Gastonia, NC and Shelby, NC to see if we can build our group and reach out to more mothers in the area.
If you would like to attend the next Carolina Moms Unite meeting, click here to go to the Facebook event with all the details. Or call Karen for more information.