Ayla Birth F.A.Q. for Health Care Providers
Who Are Our Doulas?
All doulas working with Ayla Birth have received professional doula training from credentialing agencies such as DONA, Birth Arts International, CAPPA, and others. Doula certification or prior doula experience is not required to participate in our programs. Our doulas are recruited from throughout the community, including those in addiction recovery or with convictions for non-violent offenses. Consequently, our doulas may not conform to the “typical” look of a community health worker, but possess the same professionalism and competence as their peers.
What is Our Scope of Practice?
Ayla Birth doulas do not perform any medical procedures or give medical advice, even if they are trained to do so outside of the doula scope. Ayla Birth doulas may, at the mother’s request, provide information regarding family planning, safer sex, and breastfeeding. In addition, certain Ayla Birth doulas may provide information regarding harm reduction techniques for reducing use of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine.
What is Our Purpose?
The over-arching goal of Ayla Birth is providing emotional and social support as community health workers to at-risk communities in the Portland, Oregon area. We have modeled our program after several successful community doula programs throughout the country.[1]
Who are Our Clients?
Ayla Birth serves exclusively at-risk clients within six specific categories: DHS involved families, teen parents, families living in poverty, maternal incarceration, maternal addiction, and mothers fleeing domestic violence. Children born to women in these categories have a substantially higher risk of abuse and neglect. In comparison to their peers, both mother and child suffer poor neonatal and maternal outcomes during childbirth and immediately post-partum.[2] Fortunately, women in these at-risk groups benefit the most from continuous care during labor and delivery, which makes them excellent candidates for doula care.[3],[4]
Why Do Doula Programs Work?
A multitude of studies have examined why the simple presence of a doula made such a positive difference in labor and delivery. The evidence of doula program success, particularly among at-risk populations, is strongly connected to the ability of the doula to provide continuous care from the onset of labor until delivery. It is believed the “tend and befriend” method for female stress relief works in concert with the release of the chemical oxytocin during labor to improve the outcome for both mother and child.[5]
[1] Low, L. K., Moffat, A., & Brennan, P. (2006). Doulas as community health workers: Lessons learned from a volunteer program. Journal of Perinatal Education, 15(3), 25-33. doi:10.1624/105812406X118995
[2] Frederick, J., & Goddard, C. (2007). Exploring the relationship between poverty, childhood adversity and child abuse from the perspective of adulthood. Child Abuse Review, 16(5), 323-341.
[3] Breedlove, G. (2005). Perceptions of social support from pregnant and parenting teens using community-based doulas. Journal of Perinatal Education, 14(3), 15-22. doi:10.1624/105812405X44691
[4] Schroeder, C., & Bell, J. (2005). Labor support for incarcerated pregnant women: The doula project. The Prison Journal, 85(3), 311-328. doi:10.1177/0032885505279463
[5] Moses, M. C., & Potter, R. H. (2008). The use of doulas for inmates in labor: Continuous supportive care with positive outcomes. Corrections Today, 70(3), 58.
Who Are Our Doulas?
All doulas working with Ayla Birth have received professional doula training from credentialing agencies such as DONA, Birth Arts International, CAPPA, and others. Doula certification or prior doula experience is not required to participate in our programs. Our doulas are recruited from throughout the community, including those in addiction recovery or with convictions for non-violent offenses. Consequently, our doulas may not conform to the “typical” look of a community health worker, but possess the same professionalism and competence as their peers.
What is Our Scope of Practice?
Ayla Birth doulas do not perform any medical procedures or give medical advice, even if they are trained to do so outside of the doula scope. Ayla Birth doulas may, at the mother’s request, provide information regarding family planning, safer sex, and breastfeeding. In addition, certain Ayla Birth doulas may provide information regarding harm reduction techniques for reducing use of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine.
What is Our Purpose?
The over-arching goal of Ayla Birth is providing emotional and social support as community health workers to at-risk communities in the Portland, Oregon area. We have modeled our program after several successful community doula programs throughout the country.[1]
Who are Our Clients?
Ayla Birth serves exclusively at-risk clients within six specific categories: DHS involved families, teen parents, families living in poverty, maternal incarceration, maternal addiction, and mothers fleeing domestic violence. Children born to women in these categories have a substantially higher risk of abuse and neglect. In comparison to their peers, both mother and child suffer poor neonatal and maternal outcomes during childbirth and immediately post-partum.[2] Fortunately, women in these at-risk groups benefit the most from continuous care during labor and delivery, which makes them excellent candidates for doula care.[3],[4]
Why Do Doula Programs Work?
A multitude of studies have examined why the simple presence of a doula made such a positive difference in labor and delivery. The evidence of doula program success, particularly among at-risk populations, is strongly connected to the ability of the doula to provide continuous care from the onset of labor until delivery. It is believed the “tend and befriend” method for female stress relief works in concert with the release of the chemical oxytocin during labor to improve the outcome for both mother and child.[5]
[1] Low, L. K., Moffat, A., & Brennan, P. (2006). Doulas as community health workers: Lessons learned from a volunteer program. Journal of Perinatal Education, 15(3), 25-33. doi:10.1624/105812406X118995
[2] Frederick, J., & Goddard, C. (2007). Exploring the relationship between poverty, childhood adversity and child abuse from the perspective of adulthood. Child Abuse Review, 16(5), 323-341.
[3] Breedlove, G. (2005). Perceptions of social support from pregnant and parenting teens using community-based doulas. Journal of Perinatal Education, 14(3), 15-22. doi:10.1624/105812405X44691
[4] Schroeder, C., & Bell, J. (2005). Labor support for incarcerated pregnant women: The doula project. The Prison Journal, 85(3), 311-328. doi:10.1177/0032885505279463
[5] Moses, M. C., & Potter, R. H. (2008). The use of doulas for inmates in labor: Continuous supportive care with positive outcomes. Corrections Today, 70(3), 58.
