You may already have a good idea about what you want your birth to look like—an unmedicated water birth, pain-free epidural labor, scheduled cesarean, or something else. You have a lot of choices, and planning for your labor is key!
If you don’t know yet what you want, that’s okay. Your doula will walk you through your options. (Pro-tip, your doula can help you plan for any kind of birth)
The benefits of doula support are well-known and supported by research, including reduced risk of cesarean, shorter labors, reduced pain during labor, healthier babies, and more satisfied parents. Read about more benefits of doula support here, presented by Evidence-Based Birth.
Doulas of Shanghai’s birth philosophy is simple. We believe in supporting you where you are at, and will work to reduce anxiety and fear while helping you feel more confident in the birthing process—and yourself!
That all sounds great! So when is the right time to book your doula?
The answer to this question is different for everyone. Some people book their doula on the day they find out they’re pregnant, and we’re right there celebrating with you! Others may realize they want extra support and comforting touch once those labor contractions start coming. If we have availability in our schedule, we will be there for you.
The truth is, there is no wrong time to book your doula support. We are happy to help whenever you decide you want us there.
BUT, just for fun, let’s walk through the advantages to booking your doula in advance.
- With Doulas of Shanghai, you have continuous support via WeChat and phone from the moment you sign your contract. No waiting, no “on-call” period starting a few weeks before your birth. We are there for you from day one. Our clients love our online support and utilize it to ask questions, get more information about something you heard from a WeChat group, talk about your feelings, or get some tips on how to comfortably move through a bought of Braxton Hicks. Click here to learn more about if you’re feeling Braxton Hicks or early labor contractions!
2. You get the reassurance of having a birth professional standing by to help you feel calmer through pregnancy.
3. You will also get 1-2 prenatal visits, pulling back the curtain on birth and helping you more clearly see what you could expect from labor. You will learn about your options in the hospital, and have a chance to ask about benefits/risks of each intervention to decide which one is right for you.
4. Your doula is experienced in working with medical providers and will help you write a birth plan that’s easy to follow.
5. She will also teach you and your partner physical and emotional comfort measures to help reduce the intensity of contractions and help you move through each one.
6. And of course, when you go into labor, you know you can count on her to be there every step of the way.
Ready to book or want to learn more? Let’s talk! Add us on WeChat to schedule a phone call with us to learn more.
WeChat: DoulasofShanghai
Instagram: DoulasofShanghai
Phone: 135-2491-8954
Doulas of Shanghai 