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Home arrow Read our Articles arrow Pregnancy arrow Doulas - Case Studies
Doulas - Case Studies

Mum + One case studies

Mums

Louise from Colchester and her first child both almost died in Louise’s first labour, although Louise wanted more children she was naturally terrified of a repeat situation where both she and her baby would be at risk. Her anxiety drove her to employ Karen and Kicki as doulas to give her practical advice on managing her anxiety, the pregnancy and the pending birth.  Her story is very emotive.

Luan from Bedfordshire has curvature of the spine and faces having to undergo a general anaesthetic in order for a caesarean section to be performed.  She is terrified about missing those precious few moments after the birth.  Can her doula Karen support her and help her to achieve a birth with less medical intervention?

Elaine from Great Yarmouth is worried about becoming a first time mum.  She develops a strong relationship with her doula, Linda, which proves crucial when Elaine has to undergo a caesarean birth and subsequently develops post natal depression.  Having Linda on her side helps Elaine cope with this unexpected crisis.

Natalie from Wittering near Peterborough was, like many women, a nervous first-time mum, she felt completely overwhelmed by her pregnancy and unable to prepare for the birth. She employed a doula, Joanne, to help her manage the pregnancy, birth, and those scary first few days when she was at home with her baby. Joanne gave Natalie practical tips and also helped calm the fears of her husband, who was terrified he wouldn’t be able to bond.

Marlon and Louise from Norwich are thrilled about becoming first time parents, but Louise’s hospital phobia is undermining her excitement. On top of this Louise has heard so many horror stories about the pain of childbirth that she is now petrified of actually having the baby. Can Louise’s doula, Linda, allay Louise’s fears so that both she and Marlon experience a relaxed birth and enjoy the magic of bringing a child into the world?

Fay from Essex wants help in achieving her first natural birth after having an emergency caesarean with her last child.  She employed Karen as a doula and the two develop a strong relationship.  But will she achieve her goal and deliver her baby without major medical intervention?

Naz is from Kyrgyzstan, married to an Englishman, but she feels nervous about having her second baby so far away from her family.  Her doula, Barbara, offered the support and friendship she would normally have received from relatives.

Amy from Norwich wants help so that she can relax and achieve her first home birth.  She is pregnant with her third child and her other two were born in hospital.  She employs Cilla, a first time doula, to help her.  When the time comes, things happen quickly.  Will the crew – and Cilla – make it there on time?

Doulas

Cilla Carter recently completed a weekend doula training course. She has two sons and has also worked with children with special needs.  She has plans to start a doula agency of her own.  For her, the role of a doula is to care, support mother and father and to be non-judgemental.  She feels it is important that someone is there for the mother at this time, as it is when the mother is at their lowest.  She is prepared to devote as much time as is needed with the client after the birth, but is also very much aware of the need to cut off and let go. Cilla believes doulas can help to empower women and give a good start to a new life.

Joanne Barker
Joanne studied Holistic Childbirth Education in Bristol but developed an interest in doulas when studying the conception of pregnancy. She was then tutored by Michel Odent and for the past 2 years has worked for the Cambridge Doulas Services. Joanne, 35, is a modern, inner-city doula, very much aware of the pressures of urban living on mothers.  When the mother is in labour she is keen to create a “safe, beautiful environment” for the birth, by creating a calm lighting state and giving the father jobs to do so that his nervous, active energy is being put to use.  She is passionate about her work.

Karen Garner
Karen has attended a British doula course and receives a lot of work from the British doula
agency. She has had 5 clients, birth and post birth, but feels she has worked unofficially as a
doula for years. Karen 46, is bubbly, chatty and loves her job as a doula.  She has a strong maternal instinct and feels that with a doula present labouring mothers experience far less pain.  She is there for the whole family and takes a very hands on approach.  Her reward for her hard graft is that she "likes to know she has helped and made the mother’s day easier." She believes the work of a doula is innate and this is certainly true of Karen.

Kicki Hansard
Kicki, 33, is originally from Sweden and moved to England in 1990. After having two children far from home without the support of her own mother she decided to become a doula. She trained with BOND (British School of Nurturing Doulas) in London 2002 and has a Diploma in Professional Relaxation Therapy.   She feels her role is “to be there for the woman.” She does not want any of her clients to feel vulnerable.  During birth Kicki says the doulas are there to act as an intermediary between the parents and the medical team.   Kicki is interested in the physiology of birth and using natural ways to encourage the labour to progress.  Kicki feels that women are shaped by their labour experience. The more support and the better the birth, the greater positive effect on the lives of both mother and child.

Linda Quinn
With 37 years of experience in the "mothering" field, Linda believes that nurturing people who have babies has always happened but in this modern fragmented society we call these people doulas.  Linda believes that any woman can be a doula.  Although every client wants different things from a doula, she feels they can offer emotional support and objective, practical advice – they do not have expectations from her that a family member may do.  A good client/doula relationship seems crucial to Linda if they are to experience a very intimate experience together.  Linda would like to teach the woman to let their primal instincts take over their brain to cope with labour.  She is able to emotionally engage with her clients and yet maintains a professional distance. She is light-hearted, forthright and her work as a doula is the love of her life - this is illustrated by her passionate attempts to promote British doulas.

These women all feature on the Discovery Home & Health series Mum + One.  For more information about that please click here.



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