When Is My Doula “On Call?”
Clients and family members often want to know what it means to have a support team member specially dedicated to their family. So often, our systems of care cap at the normal 9-5, but for labor doulas, we understand that 9-5 just isn’t in the cards for us!
When you contract with and choose that perfect support team member from Maryland State Doulas, your doula is present and available any hour, day or night! This doesn’t just mean for the ‘It’s Go Time’ instructions on where to meet you and when; many of our families enjoy having a trusted professional at the push of a button the other line of a call or a text and email for questions and concerns. Normally, these calls, when directed to your provider’s office, will give you the on call service and a slower turn around time or a request to come in, so having some guidance more instantly is huge!
This comes with the obvious caveat - doulas are not in charge of your medical care, so if something sounds outside of our expertise and scope - and honestly, even if we most likely know the answer but it is something that your provider should answer, we’ll always refer you to them. But can you imagine the calm that comes from not having to ask Dr. Google at 3 a.m. a variety of things, or just to have someone to commiserate with?
It’s a luxury that well extends beyond labor support!
And when it comes to the big day, there are often many early, exciting signs and symptoms of labor. Sharing these and communicating with your labor doula can help tremendously - if you are too excited to sleep or are blanking on what to do for pain management. When you’re ready, your doula can pop on over and begin supporting you, whether that’s in your home or at your birth location! It gives birth partners a big relief too of having to have the right answer or suggestion when things get cooking.
Babies don’t read calendars, and that’s why our doulas are at the ready no matter the week of gestation or the time of day. We schedule our clients that are individually contracted with families accordingly to assure that your person will be there when you need. And, if life happens and it’s an isolated situation, your assigned and familiar back up team member will always be at the ready, so you can sleep easy knowing your family is fully supported by someone who knows your preferences and ‘game plan’.
Who wouldn’t want two trusted birth professionals at their fingertips 24/7?!
If this sounds like the perfect addition for your new addition, give us a shout. We’d love to speak with you about our model of care, and what a doula truly means when she says she’s ‘on call’!
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