More about Debra's doula care
I’m very comfortable and at ease in the home setting. I’ve a long history with home births, beginning in the 1970’s attending friends’ births and with my son’s birth at home in 1979. In the late 1980’s, early 1990’s I worked alongside lay midwives at home births. I was a member of the Midwifery Task Force, a consumer group which raised awareness about midwifery care and helped bring about its legalization in 1998.
In addition to the numerous trainings I have taken to upgrade my doula skills I bring my 32 year's experience to each birth I attend. With experience comes a wisdom and intuitive sense that simply can't be learned from a textbook or training. Experience has shown me that the birth process unfolds in a myriad of ways. Each woman's journey mirrors who she is. Her essential grace, strength and essence comes forth. Birthing women are my teachers. I continue to be in awe and honored to be present at such memorable life altering events. We truly give our all to birth our children
I am also a Hypno-Doula. I can support couples who have learned either Hypno-Babies or Hypno-birthing practices.
An interesting recent study has shown that families that plan and prepare to birth at home, then transfer to the hospital, have lower intervention rates and better outcomes than families that planned for a hospital birth at the outset.
In the event of a transfer to hospital**, I go with you to ensure you are comforted on the drive there and continue to provide support until the birth and for 2 hours after. If a cesarean is needed, depending on the hospital and staff, I may be able to be present in the OR with you. If not, I may wait to see you in recovery, or see you the next day. In this situation I am able to be an advocate, not your voice, but assist you in receiving relevant information to make decisions. I also provide emotional support during a time that can be stressful.
**In a current tally of my clients the rate is 78% who had successful home births. Those that transferred had vaginal births, with a few having a cesarean birth. Overall my clients' cesarean birth rate is 15%. The recent average among 6 local Vancouver hospitals is 43%.
**In a current tally of my clients the rate is 78% who had successful home births. Those that transferred had vaginal births, with a few having a cesarean birth. Overall my clients' cesarean birth rate is 15%. The recent average among 6 local Vancouver hospitals is 43%.