Sounds like the beginning of a joke: “How many hands at a mother’s vagina do obstetric teams think they need to deliver a baby?”

It’s not a joke. This is a potential reality in a hospital setting.

There is no need for 4 pairs of hands at a woman’s vulva or yanking at a newborn’s head when mom and baby’s vitals are perfect and baby is moving along. And even in an emergency, 4 sets of hands at the vagina just means too many chiefs, not enough Indians. There isn’t even enough surface space to make contact, but yet…

Doula support within a hospital setting can be helpful to achieving a better birth experience. And home birth is a safe option for many women!

Want to know how a doula can help you? Want to know the truth about home birth? Email me for resources at LoveYourBelly2@gmail.com.

Also, keep a look out on massmidwives.org for more information about home birth in Massachusetts.