Doula Services

Hi, I’m Rebecca Overson, owner/director of Salt Lake Prenatal Massage. In addition to being a maternity massage therapist, I am also a trained birth doula. If you don’t know what a doula is, read on, and watch this short video: (if the video player is not showing, hit your Refresh button.)

Doula is a greek word for “servant”, and in this context, a doula is a professionally trained labor and birth support person.

A doula provides support to the laboring woman/couple in three ways: informational support, emotional support, and physical support.

(Oh and please note that in this article I refer to the birthing woman’s partner as the “dad/husband”, but I realize that some moms to be are also single, or in a same-sex relationship, or in an unmarried partnership. No problem – I’m happy to support anyone.)

Doulas do not perform medical tasks. In other words, they do not deliver babies (that’s what midwives and doctors do), nor do they perform clinical tasks such as monitoring baby’s heart rate or checking the cervix for progress during labor.

A doula is someone who can help you navigate the territory of labor and birth and help you have a satisfying and empowering birth experience.

Frequently asked questions about hiring a doula:

Why would I hire a doula? Isn’t my husband the support person?

Of course your husband is a support to you in labor. A doula does not replace your husband or undermine his important role and presence in your labor. A doula supports BOTH of you.  Sometimes as women we forget that the husband is having a baby too; he is emotionally involved, invested, and concerned for the well-being of mom and baby. He needs support too.

What exactly does a doula do?

Simply put, doctors and nurses worry about the baby and the uterus; a doula takes care of the laboring woman’s heart and mind and is concerned for her emotional experience of birth. You could also think of a doula as an extra pair of TRAINED hands who knows what to do and say to help a woman through labor and birth.

To me, birth is a sacred experience. In a hospital, it can be a very medical, clinical experience. As a doula, I provide whatever support is needed throughout the entire course of labor, which usually starts at home, through birth itself, and usually stay until mom is complete with birth (placenta, etc.), stable, and baby is latched on well and nursing.

I help empower birthing women/couples to be educated about their options. I provide information needed to make clear choices and to be well supported during the process.

Aren’t the nurses and/or doctors supposed to provide support?

Ah, my favorite question. Many first-time parents have the idea that they are going to waltz into the hospital upon a woman’s water breaking and just “have a baby”. I liken this to walking into an airport and just hopping on a plane and expecting to arrive 4 hours later in New York City. It just doesn’t work like that.

I have worked with AMAZING doctors and nurses, and I have also been HORRIFIED by a few. Please understand that hospitals are bound by rules and regulations that ultimately serve THEIR interests (think: massive liability malpractice insurance) – they can not and do not always act in the best interest of the mother’s wishes. Hospitals are set up to maximize convenience for the staff, not comfort for the mom. I have seen midwives rushing through procedures simply because they have another mom ready to push in the next room. I have seen doctors take over with little input from the patient. I have heard nurses say the stupidest, most inappropriate, fear-inducing comments to women in labor in an effort to get the woman to comply with their wishes. I have seen couples inadvertently hijack their own birth plan by not understanding this and by putting themselves at risk by making unwise choices early in labor. (I’ve also worked with really incredible, caring, amazing, respectful doctors, nurses, and midwives. The point is… sometimes you just never know who’s going to show up at your birth!)

Sometimes even the best of plans take an unforseen detour. It breaks my heart when I hear that a birth was traumatic or disappointing for a woman or couple. I try to spare my clients from any negative experiences and make sure that they choices they have to make are THEIR choices. As a doula, I am an advocate for the woman and for the couple. I help women stay out of the way of unnecessary medical interventions and help them to feel comfortable with necessary ones when they are called for.

I also sometimes help interpret into plain english what medical staff says in medical terminology.

I typically ask my clients to keep me updated after each of their prenatal care appointments with their doctor or midwife.  I ask my clients to let me know as soon as they are showing signs that they MIGHT be in labor, or if they know for certain they are in labor. I will go to the laboring couple’s home as soon as they are ready for support.

I will help the mom labor in effective positions to optimize contractions and help her be as comfortable as possible. I help her cope with the intense sensations of labor by providing massage, acupressure, essential oils and other means of comfort. I make sure she is staying hydrated by encouraging sips of water between contractions. I help her stay connected with and relaxed in her body as it labors. I help her be calm and courageous and confident in her body’s ability to give birth. I help the couple decide when it is time to go to the hospital (if that’s part of the plan… or birth center… or when it’s time to call the midwife to come over for a home birth.)

Most first-time parents don’t realize that if they are birthing in a hospital staff, there is no dedicated support person to help you. Nurses change shifts, check on other patients, and so forth. Labor can be looooong and slooooow and boring or crazy and stressful. Some dads feel like they just need to go take a nap, but they feel guilty at the thought of leaving their partner in labor. A doula can stay and provide support if dad wants or needs a break.

One of my clients sent me this picture. Awesome!

Some things I have done as a doula:

• Coached moms in the pushing phase
• Ran to get food for the couple, or coffee for dad, batteries for the camera, etc.
• Taken pictures or video immediately following birth
• Supported one of mom’s legs during pushing
• Kept mom focused during transition (the most intense part of labor)
• Reminded parents of their birth preferences when medical staff goes on “auto pilot” and forgets the express wishes of the couple
• Provided massage therapy for feet, back, hips, neck, shoulders on an as-needed basis during labor
• Provide calming relaxing music during labor, essential oils, honey sticks, coconut water, snacks and such
• I leave as needed if the couple wants alone time
• I take notes throughout the whole birth and provide a written “report” for the couple
• I have helped with proper breastfeeding techniques
• I’ve taught parents how to swaddle their baby the way my midwife taught me
• I’ve asked chatty, irreverent medical staff to please be quiet during contractions
• I pay attention the mood and environment in the room – dim the lights, adjust the thermostat, make sure mom is positioned comfortably in bed or wherever she is laboring
• I’ve helped take care of older siblings during labor and birth
• I help moms find effective positions in which to labor, so that their pelvis has as much space as possible to move baby down
• I’ve crouched in the back seat of a car with a mom ready to push, helping her slow her body down until we got to the hospital
• I’ve grabbed and held barf buckets, gotten and applied cold compresses, looked at mom in the eyes during the most intense parts of birth and helped her stay grounded. I’ve asked dads to stop texting and be with their wife. I’ve provided emotional support to a dad while his wife nearly bled to death and the medical team was working on her.

…I’ve pretty much done it all, and I love it. It’s joyful, it’s intense, it’s beautiful. It’s invigorating and breathtaking and always a deep honor for me to support a woman in birth.

If you are interested in discussing the possibility of hiring me as your doula, please email info@SLCPrenatalMassage.com with your contact information and due date, and we’ll schedule an initial 30 minute conversation to see if my services might be a good fit for you.

Regardless, I’d love to provide any information, referrals, and resources that would be helpful for you to have a powerful birth experience!

In one mom’s words…

“It took me awhile to find a doula.  Nobody felt exactly right for me.  I had a unique situation and I really needed a doula that could be there for me not only as emotional and physical support, but as my birth partner.  So, what I was asking of the doula I hired, seemed to me, to be quite a bit.   The circumstances that led me to Rebecca were serendipitous to say the least.  When my birthing teacher mentioned her name, for some reason, I knew that Rebecca was supposed to be my doula.  At the time, I didn’t exactly understand why.  But, months later during my 52.5 hours of labor, I knew exactly why Rebecca was perfect for me.

It was a long, painful, challenging, emotional, and incredible labor and delivery. During the first 14 hours, Rebecca was there for me through texts and phone calls, keeping a vigilant eye on my progress and continually asking for updates and for what I needed.  She joined me in person at 14 hours into my labor and stayed with me until hour 53.  She worked tirelessly for over 36 hours.  36 HOURS!  And for most of the 36 hours, Rebecca was applying counterpressure to my back, because my labor pains were so bad there.  All I can say, is that woman is strong.  So strong.  I would constantly say, “push harder Rebecca” and she would.  I know she gave it all she had.  And when I told her days after my baby was born, I couldn’t have done it without her, I meant it.  I really could not have.  I remember there was one point where she needed to run out and grab something from her car and I wouldn’t let her go.  I needed her there every second.  Just knowing she was there created a sense of safety for me.  I knew if she was there supporting me, applying pressure to my back, and giving me words of encouragement and coaching, I could make it through the next contraction.    She was always positive, always alert, always strong for me.   I will be forever grateful that Rebecca was there for that incredible experience.  She is a truly compassionate, kind, intelligent, and strong woman.   To me, Rebecca is the perfect doula.”
~S.M.P., first-time Mom.  Kaysville, Utah