What is the difference between an Eligible Midwife and a Doula

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Published on Thursday, 27 October 2011 15:17

Written by Ginny

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIDWIFE an a DOULA?

Using Wikidepia as a reference, this is the basic difference.

MIDWIFE
According to the International Confederation of Midwives (a definition that has also been adopted by the World Health Organization and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics):

    A midwife is a person who, having been regularly admitted to a midwifery educational program that is duly recognized in the country in which it is located, has successfully completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery.

The midwife is recognized as a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labor and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife's own responsibility and to provide care for the infant. This care includes preventive measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in mother and child, accessing of medical or other appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures.

The midwife has an important task in health counseling and education, not only for the woman, but also within the family and community. This work should involve antenatal education and preparation for parenthood and may extend to women's health, sexual or reproductive health and childcare, and to gain the knowledge to counteract the lack of pain relievers and antiseptics.

A midwife may practice in any setting including in the home, the community, hospitals, clinics or health units.

In late 2011 the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia adopted a new standard called, Eligible Midwives. Some of the new changes include her ability to prescribe scheduled medical prescriptions, order diagnostic investigations as well as many other medical services not previously allowed.

On 1 November 2010, new laws came into effect that give eligible nurse practitioners and midwives access to specific items in the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and access to a limited list of items under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

DOULA
A doula offers emotional support; she's essentially a labor coach.

A labor doula or birth doula is someone (often trained, though this is not required) who provides non-medical support (physical and emotional) to a woman leading up to and during her labor and delivery, an aspect of care that was traditionally practiced in midwifery. A labor doula may attend a woman having a home birth or a woman laboring at home before transporting to a hospital or a birth center, where she will continue support. Doulas do not perform clinical duties such as heart rate checks or vaginal exams, or give medical advice. Labor doulas rely on techniques like massage, aromatherapy, visualization, positive positioning, emotional support, encouragement, and nurturing to help women through labor. Many offer phone and email support as well as prenatal and postpartum visits to ensure the mother is informed and supported. The terms of a labor/birth doula's responsibilities are decided between the doula and the family. The doula is also an ally for the father or partner, who may have little experience with the labor process and may also find the process anxiety provoking. Often the doula will help the partner find ways to support the laboring woman. Studies have shown that childbirth education can help reduce paternal anxiety and one of the doula's roles is to educate. A responsible doula supports, encourages, and educates the father or partner in his or her support style rather than replacing them.