The difference between a Birth/Labour Doula and a Midwife

Very simply, a Midwife is a trained medical professional specializing in pregnancy, birth, postpartum and infant care.  A Doula is a trained support worker and educator.

A midwife is trained with the same amount of education as a registered nurse however, they specialize in pregnancy, birth, postpartum and infant care.  They are able to perform gynecological exams, prescribe some medications and deliver a baby.  Midwives can deliver babies at home, in a hospital and in a birthing centre.  A midwife will care for you through your pregnancy and birth and will medically care for you and your infant up to six weeks after birth. With a midwife you will also get support and education, a much more intimate, personal experience then you would get with an O.B. or G.P.

A Birth Doula is certified through one of many governing bodies ( I have been certified through Childbirth International).  Your Doula will offer you and your partner support and education throughout your pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.  A Doula will help you create a birth plan and provide you with information, resources and support in making choices about your birth experience.  During labour and birth, your Doula will provide emotional support to you and your partner, help to advocate for your choices and can offer homeopathic techniques such as massage and different birthing positions for you and your partner.  During your postpartum period, a Doula will assist you in caring for a newborn, breast feeding and physical recovery.

Some people choose a Birth Doula because they have an O.B. or G.P delivering their baby but want  more personalized support and care.  Others will choose to have a midwife and a Doula to have that more intimate medical care with additional support.

Childbirth Preparation Classes

Having a baby in this fall?

Toronto West Childbirth is offering group Childbirth Preparation Classes beginning in July


When: Fridays 7-9 pm


Where: Cosmyc Vybes Yoga Studio 222 Islington Ave. www.cosmycvybes.ca



Cost: 6 two hour classes $145.00/ couple.



Classes will focus on natural childbirth in hospital or home.

New Service through Toronto West Childbirth

New! Doula Consultant Service:
If you want the pre and post natal support of a Doula, would like to have someone around with whom you can ask questions  and discuss birth options in detail as well as have someone to talk to in the early stages of labour however, you do not want and extra person in the delivery room then, this service could benifit you.  The Doula Consultant Service gives you personal (by arranged meeting), phone and e-mail access to Christy leading up to and after your birth.  During your labour Christy will be available to you by phone at any hour to answer questions and offer support.   This service includes a meeting to discuss your birth options and sort out your birth plan.  The Doula Consultant Service will cost $300.00

Informed Choice vs. Informed Consent

Informed Consent VS. Informed Choice

Ok, so Informed Consent is what most people in a traditional Doctor/Patient relationships are offered. This means that the patient is informed of all the benefits and risks of the proceedure being performed and asked to give their consent for that specific procedure. Informed Choice means that the client (I am changing my word usage on purpose here) is informed of all the options available to them and all the risks and benefits associated with those options.
Here is a childbirth related example: Informed Consent - you are seven days past your due date and are ready to have this baby. You ask your doctor and are informed that you can have Amniotomy, amniotic sac ruptured by the Dr. (this is only one method that Dr.s may use to induce labour, chosen for this example). You will be informed that this increases you risk of infection, that it may still take hours for labour to begin, that there is a significant chance that other measures will have to be taken to augment the labour, that there will be a time limit put on your labour and any other information about this particular procedure. You will then be asked to sign a consent form and the procedure will be booked.
Informed Choice - You are seven days overdue and ready to have this baby. You ask your Doula or Midwife what your options are and they inform you that you can have a medical procedure such as Amniotomy, or Prostoglandin gell, or pitocin, or you can have your membranes stripped. They will also inform you that you can try natural ways of inducing labour first. Such as, exercise, homeopathics and herbal remedies or, intercourse. Your Doula or Midwife will give you the information on the effectiveness of each option, the risks and benefits and, will give you time to research, ask questions and make your decision. A Doula or Midwife will then support your choice and assist you in whatever way is needed.
The fact that a doctor is not likely to present you with informed choice does not make doctors bad or evil or even a wrong choice. Informed consent is part of the medical model and for some people the medical model is the right fit for their birth. however, if you pref to have options and to be given a distinct say in your birth experience then you may want to consider finding a Midwife or hiring a Doula

Doulas and Partners

How does a Doula help from the Perspective of a birth partner? When I meet with couples for the first time, it often becomes obvious that the mother is the driving force behind contacting a Doula. I have had fathers ask "will I be doing anything during the labour if you are there?", "I don't get why she needs someone besides me" and, " I don't want to be left out". The fact is, a Doula is there to assist the couple in their birth experience, not just the mother. A Doula will coach the partner in how to assist with massage, physical support and encouragement. She will provide the couple with information throughout their pregnancy and birth to support and empower them. A Doula will never "take charge" unless asked. a Doula is there to provide support, information, education, empowerment, and to act as an advocate for the birthing couple.
a Doula will also support the partner by "covering for them during bathroom breaks, getting food and water and reminding them to care for their own well being as well as there birthing partner's. if a couple is doing very well during labour, I will step back and give them space until there is need for a break or a change in position or location.
It can also be useful for the partner to have a Doula there if unfortunately the baby needs to be taken to NICU at birth, in this instance, the Father can accompany the baby and the Doula can remain with the mother for support and to funnel information.
A Doula is there to support the birthing couple, each couples needs are different however, a Doula should always be an addition not an interference.

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.