A birth doula is a professional birth companion who accompanies you at home and / or in the hospital for your labor and birth. In Malaysia, most people have not heard of or know about birth doulas. However, in many countries around the world like Singapore, Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand, many couples recognize the benefits of hiring a birth doula when it is time to birth their babies.
Continuous Care & SupportYour birth doula stays with you and provides physical, emotional and mental support for the duration of your labour, birth and a few hours after your baby is born to help with initiating breastfeeding. This could mean hours or even days depending on how long your labour takes.
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Better Birth OutcomesStudies have shown that couples who have continuous doula support have:
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Experienced birth companionYour birth doula is trained and experienced in various comfort measures like massage, positioning and repositioning, breathing techniques, respectful care and encouraging words for you and your partner so you can all experience a more positive birthing experience.
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Malaysia Birth Doula FAQs
What is a birth doula?
Think of a birth doula like a trained birth guide and companion helping you during this life transition. A birth doula is usually armed with a lot of knowledge about births and how to make you feel more comfortable and relaxed during labour through various comfort measures. Depending on what the birthing person needs, a doula provides continuous emotional, physical and mental support for both you and your partner especially when the labor is long and taxing. She is your birth cheerleader and also your advocate for your birth preferences.
Do i need a doula for birthing in malaysia?
You don't NEED one but it does not mean you should not have one. In Malaysia, many (general public plus medical professionals like doctors and midwives) are unaware of what a birth doula is or unclear about what a doula does leading to misconceptions. In many other countries, hiring doulas for birth support is quite common and been proven by multiple research studies to be very effective and results in better birth outcomes and experiences.
what does a birth doula do?
- keep you relaxed and more comfortable using various comfort measures and techniques
- suggest & support you in different labor and birth positions so you can be more comfortable
- help you initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of your baby's birth
- provide evidenced-based information on your birth options so you can make informed choices
- continuous emotional, physical and mental support for the birthing person and birth companions
- advocate for your birth preferences in the absence of medical emergencies
- in the postpartum visit, help you debrief your birthing experience so you feel at peace and understood
what don't a birth doula do?
Don't give medical advice - A birth doula does not provide medical advice and interfere with medical procedures. However, a birth doula can provide unbiased evidenced-based information so couples can make informed decisions for themselves in consultation with their care providers be it midwives or doctors.
Don't make birth decisions for you - Whilst a birth doula can provide evidenced-based information, they cannot make birth decisions on your behalf. It's your baby, your birth. You need to own this.
Don't make birth decisions for you - Whilst a birth doula can provide evidenced-based information, they cannot make birth decisions on your behalf. It's your baby, your birth. You need to own this.
do i still need a birth doula in malaysia if i already have my partner/husband to support me in the labour room?
Yes, even though most birthing persons have their partners as birth companions, many partners/husbands are clueless on what to do in the labour room to support you. They might also be feeling very scared and unsure themselves. Even if they are well prepared as birth companions by attending an excellent birth preparation class like HypnoBirthing (Mongan Method), it is always better to have someone experienced and on the same page as your birthing team. Sometimes, labour can take hours or days and partners can feel exhausted or stressed. Having a second birth support person like a birth doula would definitely help a lot.
how much to hire a birth doula in malaysia?
The fees charged by birth doulas in Malaysia can range quite a bit depending on the level of experience and training and also the fee inclusions. In Baby With Bee, we charge birth doula fees of RM 2,700 to RM 3,100 depending on whether you have taken the HypnoBirthing (Mongan Method) birth prep class with us or not.
what does the birth doula fees include?
When you book Baby with Bee's birth doula services in Malaysia, you will get
- 1 x antenatal visit where we get to know each other and discuss your birth preferences
- On-call and standby for 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after your EDD (estimated due date) for natural births
- Continuous support throughout your labor, birth and a couple of hours after birth starting from the time you think you need the support either from your home or at the hospital
- Breastfeeding support immediately after birth and during postpartum visit plus virtual support via whatsapp or call
- 1 x postpartum visit for birth debriefing and breastfeeding support if needed
would i have a better birth experience with a birth doula in malaysia?
Yes, that's what studies have shown. Refer to the last FAQ on this page for a few of those researches to show the benefit of having a birth doula. Just think, would you go into uncharted territory with or without a guide/cheerleader? Sure, you are already in good hands by choosing the best doctor or hospital in Malaysia to birth with. That is like having the best equipment and technical experts onboard this 'expedition'. However, their focus is to get you to your destination ie safe and healthy mother and baby but not how you feel along the way. Who is going to hold your hand when you feel scared and anxious or when you want to give up on your birth goals when the going gets tough? Too often we have heard birth stories of couples not having the births they want and may even feel traumatized even though they did end up in their 'destination' with a healthy baby. Birth traumas are real and could affect you for life.
how to choose a birth doula in malaysia?
Ideally you find someone you feel really comfortable with and trust. Someone who respects your birth preferences and choices and are non-judgmental. Spend some time to meet up with your potential doula and communicate openly about your birth wishes. Ask about your doula's experience and trainings and their birth philosophies or beliefs. You should be able to know if both of you are a good fit after this first meeting.
i had a cesarean section (c-section / c-sec) previously and hoping to give birth naturally this time, do i need the support of a birth doula in malaysia?
Mothers trying for a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) may feel more fear or anxiety about their subsequent births if they had an unplanned or emergency c-sec previously. Sometimes they felt that their bodies have failed to birth naturally before and chances of having a vaginal birth is slim or risky, This is a birth myth! Vaginal births after cesarean is definitely possible and having a birth doula with you to constantly encourage you and give you much needed emotional support and confidence could help improve your chances of achieving your dream birth.
how is a birth doula different from a midwife or doctor?
Not medically trained - Your birth doula is not medically trained and do not provide medical advice. So the doula's role is very different in the labour room compared to the midwife or obstetrician who are medically trained and can administer medical monitoring and interventions and recognize medical emergencies and perform surgeries etc.
Continuous support from same person - Midwives will change shift so you will have different midwives / nurses care for you throughout your labour especially if you spend a lot of time in the hospital. Your obgyn doctor will typically only see you when you are almost ready to push your baby out (very last minute). What this means is that you will be cared for by strangers for most of your labour as you would not have met those midwives before.
However, with a birth doula, you get physical, emotional and mental support from an experienced and familiar person whom you already feel comfortable with and trust for the entire duration of your labour and birth and even a few hours after the birth when you need help initiating breastfeeding.
Continuous support from same person - Midwives will change shift so you will have different midwives / nurses care for you throughout your labour especially if you spend a lot of time in the hospital. Your obgyn doctor will typically only see you when you are almost ready to push your baby out (very last minute). What this means is that you will be cared for by strangers for most of your labour as you would not have met those midwives before.
However, with a birth doula, you get physical, emotional and mental support from an experienced and familiar person whom you already feel comfortable with and trust for the entire duration of your labour and birth and even a few hours after the birth when you need help initiating breastfeeding.
Why are doula fees so expensive?
A birth doula has to be on-call or standby for your birth which happens within a one month window around your EDD (estimated due date) from 38 weeks to 42 weeks. Your doula will reach you within a reasonable time frame of about an hour after receiving your call for support and is expected to drop whatever she was doing or in the midst of.
Birth is unpredictable so there is no telling how long your labor will take, anything from 2 hours or 2 days is normal. Just as your doula will not charge you extra if you have a long labor, you cannot expect a refund if you have a fast birth. Wouldn't you be happier with the latter scenario?
Also, a birth doula typically takes on only 1 to 2 clients a month vs an obgyn who has a caseload of up to 20-40 a month depending on how popular he/she is.
Birth is unpredictable so there is no telling how long your labor will take, anything from 2 hours or 2 days is normal. Just as your doula will not charge you extra if you have a long labor, you cannot expect a refund if you have a fast birth. Wouldn't you be happier with the latter scenario?
Also, a birth doula typically takes on only 1 to 2 clients a month vs an obgyn who has a caseload of up to 20-40 a month depending on how popular he/she is.
what are the studies that proves that hiring a birth doulas result in better birth outcomes?
Below are some of the studies showing the benefits of having continuous doula support during childbirth resulting in better birth outcomes for mothers and babies like higher chance of natural and vaginal birth, lower cesarean rates, less pain medication used, faster births and higher birth satisfaction. Babies are also found to have lesser complications at birth when couples receive doula support. In conclusion, having a birth doula is a risk-free and effective way to increase your chances of having a more positive birth experience.
- Bohren, M.A., Hofmeyr, G., Sakala, C., et al. (2017). “Continuous support for women during childbirth.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766.
- Johansson, M., Fenwick, J., & Premberg, A. (2015). “A meta-synthesis of fathers’ experiences of their partner’s labour and the birth of their baby.” Midwifery 31(1): 9-18.
- McGrath, S. K. and Kennell, J. H. (2008). “A randomized controlled trial of continuous labor support for middle-class couples: effect on Cesarean delivery rates”. Birth 2008; 25:3.