At Excel by Eight, one of our goals is to ensure that all women receive complete, high-quality preconception, prenatal, and postpartum care. Meredith’s experience highlights the importance of doula support in advocating for patients’ voices to be heard during childbirth, in addition to providing educational experiences that can help mothers be better prepared for childbirth. She shares how her doula, Nicolle Fletcher, provided crucial support during both of her labors. Read her story below.
First and foremost, having Nicolle’s regular support was so helpful. I was meeting with Nicolle before I even had my first doctor’s appointment, which was fabulous for helping me prepare for the doctor and to come up with questions to ask ahead of time. Doctors and nurses are wonderful, but they can operate so fast; you don’t always have time for questions. Nicolle and I would sit down for coffee after appointments and go over everything, which was amazing.
We took Nicolle’s birth classes, and those were hugely beneficial for us. We just felt empowered and clear on what to expect.
We had our first child two months after everything shut down because of the pandemic. During the birth, Nicolle was with me virtually via FaceTime. As things started to really pick up, and I was pushing, nurses and doctors were saying they may need to try to get the baby to descend. Even over FaceTime, Nicolle made sure that I understood what the doctors and nurses were going to try to do.
She gave me the opportunity to learn and to fully understand what was going on and even advocated for some other possible maneuvers to try before we did what they were recommending. That was huge for me, especially because of the possibility of the maneuver they were suggesting being traumatizing. She’s fully supportive of everything you want to do and not judgmental. She always educated me and empowered me in what I had a choice in along the way.
In Nicolle’s childbirth classes, she said that, in her experience, some doctors will take measures into their own hands and try to speed things along. She gave us examples of wording so that we knew what it might sound like or what they might say.
So, that was in the back of our heads. When I was just shy of 38 weeks with my first, I went in for my appointment, and actually verbatim what she said would happen, happened. My membranes were swept without my consent. My water broke the next day, but contractions never started. With my first, I think my body wasn’t ready, and so I had to have a medical induction. Obviously, because of that, I felt the need to switch doctors for my second baby. So, her wisdom and experience really helped, because I’m sure there are a lot of mothers who wouldn’t have known about this otherwise.
Nicolle’s advocacy and education made a huge difference. Health care doesn’t always allow time for education and choice — sometimes things move so fast. So it was nice to be prepared. With my second, I was able to respectfully request no early intervention without my consent. My water broke and contractions started on their own. By the time I made it to the hospital, I was already 5 centimeters dilated. This time, Nicolle was able to be with me in person.
The hospital staff was trying to start an IV, have me sign paperwork, and answer intake questions — all while contractions were really hitting. That’s when Nicolle stepped in and asked them to take a break. Having her also be outside the family unit, as someone who is present and calm, was so helpful.
Doctors and nurses and doulas don’t have to compete for space in the birthing room. Everyone should have a doula if they can. There is so much advocating and educating a doula can do that the medical professionals just don’t always have the time to do. I was most comfortable with a hospital delivery and very thankful for the strong medical team I had at both of my deliveries. However, I know navigating that experience without Nicolle would have been totally different and her presence and wisdom through every step was very impactful.
Meredith Wallis
World Doula Week occurs annually from March 22, beginning with World Doula Day, continuing through March 28. Doula support is vital for maternal health, from pregnancy to postpartum. That’s why Excel by Eight is proud to assist visionary doulas across Arkansas as they advocate for better access to doula services. Together, we’re addressing maternal health challenges and championing quality care for all. View our policy agenda here.