In J’s defense, I think while that is the standard practice for OBs and nurses, it doesn’t always happen. We all know that different practitioners have their own techniques, as well as the demands on hospital staff (understaffing, overworking).

Also what a doula can do is prevent panic mode from setting in for the birthing mother, which i have seen happen when something like fetal heart decelerations are seen. It’s easy for everyone to start freaking out, including the practitioners and the mom.

But ideally its a team effort, with each player contributing in a unique way!

the only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was when the mom in the letter writes “who knows what would have happened if she hadn’t been there” referring to the doula moving her into new positions when the baby’s heart rate went down. Um - exactly the same thing? every doc and every l&d nurse know the first manuvers you do for heart rate changes are moving the patient - right side, left side, all fours. usually that does it. but, if it stays down, you try another monitoring method like a scalp electrode to make sure you are actually measuring the baby heart rate - only then, if the heart rate is definitely persistantly low do you move to expidite delivery by whatever method is most appropriate.

This is one of my favorite blogs, thanks for writing it!