Advocating for your support team

Effective October 4, 2021, Alberta Health Services will be returning to the policy that most maternity settings across the province will be required to decrease support persons to only one support person per maternity patient. Exceptional circumstances and requests by patients for two (2) designated support persons will be considered by the site command posts on a case-by-case basis. One (1) additional support person will be considered in cases of adoption or surrogacy. If physical distancing permits. (Source: AHS Website). 
 
As Doulas, we understand the strain that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our health system, and the reasoning behind policies to reduce the number of bodies present on the unit to lower the chance of exposure. However, this policy also restricts patient access to an evidence-based tool. As Dr. Kennel and Dr. Klaus said, “If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it”. 
 
Continuous Doula support throughout labor, birth, and the postpartum period have been shown to improve positive outcomes for the birthing family’s experience and increase parental satisfaction. Our clients have planned to experience their birth while supported by both their partner or family, AND their Doula. 

photo: Hayley Yourk

​Doulas reduce the risk of cesarean section, the use of pain medications, and increase the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth, all of which can lead to a shorter hospital stay. This in turn helps reduce strain on our medical system.
 
Doulas can also provide another set of hands to assist with non-medical practices, when nursing staff is already taxed and overwhelmed.  Doulas want to be present at their clients’ births, not only to support their client but also to help support our frontline healthcare workers.
 

Many of our clients have been reaching out to us; asking what they can do.

​There are many things that our clients and families can do to make their concerns known.

1. Discuss your concerns with your health care provider and your wishes for your Doula to be present. Request permission to be granted on your medical file. There is evidence that Doulas do make a significant impact on birth outcomes (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/) and that Doulas are an essential part of the maternity care team. 
2. Ask your care provider if they would consider taking your concern to the Site Command post, who may consider your request on a case-by-case basis.
3. Consider starting a case file with the Patient Relations Department of Alberta Health Services for an exemption to the one support person during birth policy.   
4. Contact Alberta Health Services Patient relations at 1-855-550-2555 to make a documented request and/ or express your thoughts and concerns. 
5. Go to the website for Alberta Health Services, under Patient Concerns and Feedback and submit feedback online. Be providing feedback it may help them continuously improve the quality of the healthcare system and they are more likely to respond.    

We have hope that these steps can help improve that chances that Doulas won’t be left on the other side of the labor door and inaccessible to our clients during this most important time. We will do everything we can to support you and we want to be there to support you in your birthing journey. We do also have to recognize that the final decision is not in our control, and we have to trust that the people making those decisions are doing so with everyone’s health in mind. We will work with you to setup a backup plan, to ensure that we support you in the ways that we are able to, whether it be over FaceTime, video chat, phone or otherwise.