UNMH Volunteer Birth Companion Program

About me

The UNMH Volunteer Birth Companion Program provides volunteer doulas to all families birthing at UNM Hospital. We believe that all families have the right to excellent emotional, mental and physical support while welcoming a child into the world. The birth justice-focused program aims to provide respectful, compassionate, and non-judgmental care. We acknowledge the diversity of people and their reproductive choices and experiences. Through our work, we hope to improve birth experiences and lessen health disparities in maternity care. We are hospital volunteers who can be with you when you are in labor, when you are giving birth, and immediately afterwards. We provide physical, emotional and informational support. During labor, we can help you get the information you want and understand what medical providers are saying, including what procedures are being suggested. We also help with pain management by assisting with position changes, providing counter pressure and massage, help with breathing techniques, relaxation, visualization and more. Your birth companion can help you feel more comfortable by getting you warm blankets, a birth ball and things to eat and drink, as appropriate. We do not take the place of partners, family or friends. We help them support you. We usually stay for about an hour after you give birth. During that time, we can help with early breastfeeding We also provide support while you are pregnant by offering a prenatal meeting with one of our birth companions. We will talk to you about what you want for your labor. We can talk about pain management, common procedures and what to expect when you are on the Labor and Delivery floor.

Education

N/A (2019)

Certification and training

varies (2019)

Specialties

Languages

English, Spanish

Service introduction

We are hospital volunteers who provide physical, emotional and informational support during labor and early postpartum. During labor, we can help you get the information you want and understand what medical providers are saying, including what procedures are being suggested. We also help with pain management by assisting with position changes, providing counter pressure and massage, help with breathing techniques, relaxation, visualization and more. Your birth companion can help you feel more comfortable by getting you warm blankets, a birth ball and things to eat and drink, as appropriate. We do not take the place of partners, family or friends. We help them support you. We usually stay for about an hour after you give birth. During that time, we can help with early breastfeeding We also provide support while you are pregnant by offering a prenatal meeting with one of our birth companions. We will talk to you about what you want for your labor. We can talk about pain management, common procedures and what to expect when you are on the Labor and Delivery floor.

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