How Can A Doula Assist With A Scheduled Cesarean?

Some medical circumstances make it necessary to plan a cesarean section for your birth.  If this is the case, you may discount the support of a Doula thinking that since you are not going to experience labour, you will not need a labour support person.  However, a Doula may be of great assistance through a planned cesarean section especially if the Doula has experience working cesarean section births.
When you birth through a cesarean section, you are still birthing a child and all the emotions will still be there however, you are adding major abdominal surgery to the experience of becoming a new parent.
A Doula can assist you in preparing for the surgery, knowing what to expect and how it is going to play out.  A Doula can also support you and your partner on the day of at the hospital, keeping you and your partner company and walking you through the emotional and personal aspects of the cesarean birth.
In advance of the scheduled birth day, a Doula can assist you in preparing yourself, your support system and your home for the arrival of your child after the birth.  Recovery from a cesarean birth is longer and physically different from that of a vaginal birth, you will need physical assistance and starting breastfeeding can be more complicated after surgery.  A Doula can assist you in the hospital during recovery and when you return home to make sure that everything is going well and to provide you with resources if you are experiencing complications.
Your Doula is your 24/7 contact throughout your birth experience and can provide you and your partner/support network with information and reassurance before, during and after your birth.

Its useful to have a doula

Why have a Doula? It has been shown through numerous studies that having a Doula present at your birth significantly increases the success rate of natural births. Why? Because a Doula is specifically trained to support you during your birth experience. Doulas know birth, they know what the options are, and why interventions happen. a Doula also spends time with you before your birth to get to know your goals and limits. a Doula will assist you physically, emotionally and will help you to advocate for yourself during the birth.
a Doula is there to support and to advocate for you and your family.