We see women being told to have a student midwife as they are free, rather than a doula who will charge.
But what is the difference between a student midwife and a doula?
What would a doula do that a student midwife is unable to do?
What restrictions would student midwives have that a doula wouldn’t have?
Well to find out more on this topic I decided I better sit down and have a chat with a student midwife so we could discuss the difference between a doula and a student midwife, as it’s important we doulas can share the difference between the two with potential clients.
I feel the main difference other than the cost of a doula versus a student midwife was that a doula is not aligned to any specific hospital or hospital policy or hospital guidelines. A doula is able to offer woman continuity of care like a student midwife however they are least likely to feel obligated to act in a certain way because their guidance, support and discussions with clients isn’t going to impact potential future jobs in that hospital like it would a student midwife.
Essentially a student midwife could be less likely to speak up on behalf of a client during the birth as it could impact their future employment at that hospital. Furthermore, if a midwife is outspoken at a birth, they may also be reported to their university which could impact their grades and reputation, this may therefore affect them being able to be strong advocates for clients when times get tricky.
A student midwife is trained within a hospital setting and is less likely to see a physiological birth and more likely to see many high-risk cases day in and out. While it is amazing, they get to learn how to support high risk cases however in the long term this can impact how they view birth and how they will support women during births. Basically, it’s likely to give them certain baggage, which they could bring into future birth environments.
A lot of experienced doulas these days are across up-to-date research, they are very passionate about making sure their clients are given the latest evidence-based information. This means their clients are better equipped to challenge hospital guidelines or policies, and this helps women to feel empowered, so they are more likely to stand up for their wants and needs as they are unique mums and babies.
Doulas also tend to offer unique postpartum care, which many student midwives have yet to learn or experience firsthand. What happens after a baby is discharged can have a huge impact on a family journey into motherhood and having a doula to support you during this time can had hugely positive effects on that family unit. Another big postpartum doula draw card is breastfeeding support. A lot of postpartum doulas do more education in this area than student midwives, so many mums going into motherhood wanting to breastfeed but the rates drop off dramatically in the early weeks and months and a lot of the time its due to no support or help during this period.
Doulas tend to have vast support network which can help provide additional resources, referrals and even provide back up in the event they can’t made a birth, this gives the families they work with reassurance they will always have help.
Doulas understand how the hospital system works. They know how to educate clients on what to expect and how to navigate they system. Some student midwives enter their field with rose-coloured glasses on and may not be aware of some of the issues within the system or may not even know the system is an issue at all. This again can lead to family not having favourable outcomes for their birth, compared to what they expected going into birth.
Couples may feel by having a student midwife they essentially have a free private midwife and therefore can get all the medical checks done by the student midwife; however, a student midwife is unable to perform medical examinations like a qualified midwife and are essentially the same as a doula as their main role is physical and emotional support for the mother.
When it comes to money clients need to weigh up whether the freeness of a student midwife versus paying for a doula is going to give them the same satisfaction with their birth. Most people do feel if they spend money on something they are more likely to speak up and ask for what they want because when you are paying that person it’s for a particular service. With a student midwife it’s a free service and the client may be less likely to speak freely about how they feel on certain topics, due to not wanting to offend the student midwife who they likely view is doing them a huge favour.
The consequences of this could then impact the way they view their birth if certain circumstances arise.
There is a lot of talk out there about how much women spend on their wedding days or cars or holidays and not on their births, and while I agree with this most of the time, I also understand money for a doula is simply something not something everyone may have access to and in these cases a student midwife is a good option. Student midwives and doulas are both amazing options for support for women during the births, both are likely to be very passionate about supporting mothers and babies, however the main difference lies with who is aligned to who and where.
Given the points above, families should consider the following questions when deciding if a student midwife or doula is the best option for them:
Whose philosophy of birth is mostly aligned to mine regarding birth.
What do I actually want and need from my birth support person?
Am I confident being the one advocating for myself during my birth or do I need support in this area?
Would I be comfortable asking someone I’m not paying to do something for me?
Do I know anyone who has had a doula or student midwife support them during their births, and what advice do they have.
Who do I have more confidence in, a student midwife or a doula.
Once clients can answer this question it will help guide them on the path of the right support for then in the unique and beautiful birthing journey.
My name is Kylie Brettell, and I am a qualified doula based in Sunbury, Victoria who has trained at the Doula Training Academy. If you would like more information about my doula services, please contact me:
Phone:
0423 553 191
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.takemyhandmumma.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/takemyhandmumma
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