The Essential Role of Doulas in Supporting High-Risk Pregnancies

Photo: Doulas of Jacksonville supporting a birthing couple in the operating room at Ascension St. Vincent’s Medical Center Southside in Jacksonville, FL.

Doulas are an invaluable resource for expecting mothers around the world, but their role becomes even more important in instances of high-risk pregnancies. High-risk pregnancies can include a range of medical conditions such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia, which require extra care and attention. While for others, the status is simply because they’re plus size, over the age of 35, or had a prior cesarean. Regardless, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a positive, family centered birth! Here are just a few ways that doulas can help in high-risk pregnancies:

Emotional Support:
High-risk pregnancy can be incredibly stressful for the expecting mom, and doulas can offer emotional support. This includes actively listening to fears and worries, and providing reassurance. But let’s be honest here because we like to keep it real at DOJ… Sometimes just hearing the phrase “high-risk” can ensite feelings of extreme anxiety in expecting parents. Doulas can be a constant presence during doctor visits, helping to keep track of appointments even at times, and provide an emotionally safe space when medical interventions are necessary. Spotting signs that some emotional therapy may be beneficial is also on the top of their radar, and resource list.

Education and Advocacy:
Many women with high-risk pregnancies have questions about medical procedures and interventions that go unanswered by their doctors or midwives. Doulas can provide education about these procedures, aid best communication with care providers, and help families feel more empowered to make informed decisions about their own care. If families need specific medical accommodations during labor and delivery, doulas can be there to help advocate on their behalf as well as share ideas for how to modify labor positions to meet their medical restrictions… without forgoing the birthers wishes or comfort level.

Physical Support:
High-risk pregnancies can lead to more complicated deliveries, and doulas are trained to provide physical comfort for mothers during childbirth. They can help find positions that ease discomfort, use massage or other relaxation techniques, and provide emotional encouragement throughout the birthing process.

Postpartum Support:
After delivery, doulas can continue to provide support. If the baby is in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) such as Wolfson’s, they can help you navigate the NICU process and aid in postpartum recovery. Doulas can also help mothers with postpartum depression or anxiety, providing resources and assistance to guide them through.

Doulas can and should be looked at, as a non-medical staff, member of the care team. There to help create as safe and supportive space for birthing parents as possible. According to studies (see Evidence Based Birth), birthing parents have higher rates of satisfaction with their birth & vaginal birth rates, less pain medication requested, and an overall more positive birth experience, when they used a birth doula!!

Overall, a doula's role is to provide personalized support to the mom during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. When it comes to high-risk pregnancies, they are a crucial part of the care team, providing essential emotional, physical, and informational support to both the mother and her family. Whatever your birth needs to look like!