How the Trilogy of Bodywork, Doula support and Birth education can transform your birth and motherhood experience by Amanda Chow

Hi, I’m Amanda Chow. As a pregnancy chiropractor, doula, and childbirth educator I help women prepare their mind & body for labour, so they feel empowered, confident, and ready for birth and motherhood.

The journey of bringing a new life into the world can be beautiful and unique. But let’s face it - sometimes it is not like the brochure and for all the joyful moments, there can also be challenges and lows. 

Through the years of supporting and working with women during this exciting time, I have amalgamated a unique blend of services - Bodywork, Doula Support, and Childbirth Education. This trilogy of this holistic care is crafted to transform your birthing and motherhood experience into one of empowerment and self-assurance.

I would love to share these tools with you in this three-part series.

Let’s begin with Doula support.

Maybe you have never heard of a doula? What do we even do? Well, one of my clients said that I created an “elevated birthing experience for her!” And I loved that definition. She had a traumatic first birth and really needed this birth to be her healing birth. So, how can a doula help? 

Continuous Emotional and Physical Support:
In a busy hospital or birth centre environment, the continuous support of a doula is unmatched. While Drs and midwives may have numerous patients to attend, a doula will be with you the duration of your labour. 

They are there to provide emotional reassurance, answer questions, and offer comfort measures during labour. 

The presence of a doula provides a sense of calm, allowing you to focus on the beautiful process of bringing new life into the world.

Knowledge is Power
My work with a couple starts before labour even begins. As a doula, I provide evidence-based information allowing you to make well-informed decisions throughout your pregnancy and childbirth. 

This helps to demystify medical jargon, explain procedures, and ensures you are well-prepared for how ever your birth may unfold.

Create a Birth Plan
You have probably heard people say: “I’m not going to have a birth-plan - I’m just going to go with the flow”.

But I ask you - whose flow will it be? 

Spoiler alert - it’s not your flow - it is the “flow” of the busy hospital and possibly a registrar you have never met. 

We make plans for other areas of your life. I’m sure you have planned your wedding or baby shower and didn’t just “go with the flow”. Caterers and venues were booked, and you had contingency plans if it rained. The idea behind a birth plan is similar.

Every birthing experience is unique and unpredictable.  So, the main reason to write a birth plan is not to try to “control the birth” but to educate yourself of the choices that may arise in birth. I always tell my clients - you don’t have choices if you don’t know what they are. And to be honest, it doesn’t make sense to be googling pros and cons of an epidural while you are in labour. 

I work with my clients to create a personalised birth plan to reflect their values and preferences. 

This plan acts as a roadmap, guiding you through decisions that will arise during labour and delivery, and helping ensure your birthing team is aligned with your wishes.

 Advocacy and Empowerment:
Doulas help advocate for your wishes with the medical team, ensuring your voice is heard during critical moments. Their support empowers you to take charge of your birthing experience, fostering a sense of control and satisfaction.

Have you heard of Fight or Flight? Probably. But have you heard of Freeze and Fawn? 

It’s another response that can occur during period of stress or when you feel unsafe or threatened, and depending on the vibe in the birth room it may occur in during your birth. This is a response whereby you may not be able to make your wishes heard (freeze) or you find yourself agreeing to something that you don’t really want to do (fawn). 

A doula can step in and create a space and time bubble while you regroup - “Would you like to chat to your partner and give the doctor an answer in about an hour?” This statement can make all the difference to how you feel as your labour possibly goes “off script”.

Enhancing Partner Support:
Doulas also play a vital role in supporting your partner, providing them with guidance on how to best support you during labour.

Partners want to be the best support possible, but they can feel “in the way” and unsure of the role they should play in a room of professionals. I prepare them prior to the birth on what to expect on the day and we work out strategies for comfort measures (like massage and pressure points), words of affirmation and loving touches. I have seen this approach go a long way to strengthening the bond between couples. 

Your partner is the perfect person to make you feel safe and loved – which is exactly what we need to increase the oxytocin in the room. 

Postpartum Transition:
The support of a doula doesn’t end with childbirth. Doulas assist with the transition to motherhood, providing guidance on infant care, breastfeeding, and emotional support during a period of significant adjustment. 

Planning for postpartum is important and often overlooked. We discuss what life will look like after baby arrives. We identify their village and where they need to call in support. They are a brilliant resource in this massive period of life adjustment. 

Choosing to include a doula in your birthing team can significantly impact your childbirth experience, transforming it into an empowering and enriching journey. 

I am passionate about supporting women through this life-altering phase, ensuring a nurturing, respectful, and empowering birthing environment. Your empowered birth is our shared goal, and with doula support, it’s an attainable, beautiful reality.

Next week I will be sharing some ideas on preparing your body for birth with lots of body work tools. 

 See you then. 

Amanda is a pregnancy chiropractor, doula and childbirth educator based in Adelaide Australia. She supports her clients with both in person and online courses and resources. More information can be found at www.nestbirthandwellbeing.com.au and via IG @nestbirthwellbeing