Abstract:

Women experienced in childbirth who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers before, during, and just after childbirth are known as doulas. This widely used definition does not mention the spiritual aspects of childbirth that are important to many doulas. Previous research associated the presence of doulas with fewer medical interventions and greater maternal satisfaction but did not address the contribution of doulas toward the spiritual transformation of birthing mothers. In order to more deeply understand the spiritual aspects of childbirth the author engaged Intuitive Inquiry which is a rigorous qualitative research method leading the researcher toward a deeper understanding of the subject and herself. New data was gathered through interviews with 14 doulas. Results were presented through a portrait of each doula and a Thematic Content Analysis of transcribed texts of the interviews. Asked about the spiritual meaning of birth, doulas spoke with awe of the body's wisdom as expressed during childbirth. They spoke as witnesses to the ability of women to give birth with the reverence a religious person might convey when describing a miracle, an event contrary to the laws of nature and attributed to the power of God. Doulas situated birth firmly within the laws of nature and honored both nature and women as holy. Doulas were discouraged by medical interventions that masked the sacred energy around birth and made it less likely that women would be spiritually transformed. They were concerned that women have lost faith in their ability to give birth normally. Doulas found spiritual meaning in removing the barriers to normal birth for women who do not need medical intervention and in providing wholehearted care for women who need medical assistance. The author concluded by stressing the importance of integrating doulas into the maternal care team.