His Hands Doula Services

Taiwan Parenting
#1

We are proud to introduce a new service that we will be offering in Kaohsiung and the surrounding areas. We are offering Labor Doula services and Childbirth Classes. Our names are Trena Campbell and Holly Muir. Trena is a Doula and an American Labor and Delivery Nurse with 15 years of experience. Holly is a Doula and a Childbirth educator. Services available are:
*2 prenatal visits
*1 visit with you to your OB Doctor if you wish
*Email and telephone consultation for questions about pregnancy or Birth
*24 hour on call 2 weeks prior to, and 2 weeks following your due date
*We will be with you from the time labor begins untill two hours postpartum
*Help with breast feeding after delivery
*1 postpartum visit at your home to answer questions
If you have any questions about our services, please do not hesitate to email us at ktrcamp5@hotmail.com. We can either arrange a consultation or send you further information about what a Doula is and how we can make your birth the best birth possible.

His Hands Doula Services. Empowering Women to enjoy thier birthing experience.

#2

I think it would be good if you yourselves explained what a Doula is! Sounds like what in the UK would be called a health visitor.

#3

Thanks for your question! I hope the following will clarify what a doula is. If the following is still unclear a good website to look at is: childbirthinternational.com/
or feel free to ask us more questions.

The word doula comes from Greek, and refers to a woman who personally serves another woman.

Labor support doulas are trained and experienced labor support persons who attend to the emotional and physical comfort needs of laboring women to smooth the labor process. They use massage, aromatherapy, positioning suggestions, etc., to help labor progress as well as possible. A labor support doula joins a laboring woman either at her home or in hospital or birth center and remains with her until a few hours after the birth. In addition to emotional support, doulas work as advocates of their client’s wishes and may assist in communicating with medical staff to obtain information for the client to make informed decisions regarding medical procedures.

It sounds like a health visitor in the UK has a broad range of responsibilities, whereas, a doula’s focus is more on the childbirth experience.

#4

Doula, just a query, are you opposed to analgesics for the mum giving birth? Do you advocate “natural birth”?

HG

#5

Dear HG,

Thanks for the question. We advocate the best birthing experience possible for the mother and her partner. We will assist in any type of birth that the mother chooses. We offer evidence based education on all the options that a mother has when she delivers her baby. We then support the decisions that the mother and her partner make. We want you to remember this as a beautiful time when you felt supported, safe, and able to make decisions for yourself that effect you and your baby.

Sincerely, Holly and Trena

His Hands Doula Services

#6

Presumably "His hands" refers to God or Jesus. Is that correct?

Do you perform services for non-Christians?

Is there some religious aspect to your services?

Thanks.

#7

Thanks for asking about our name. Yes “His Hands” refers to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are both Christians and our philosophy is based on the fact that we believe Jesus holds all life in His Hands. We are just here to honor and serve Him. We do not perform any religious services, and we here to help all women dispite of race or religion. We are willing to pray with anyone who wishes and are certainly open to sharing our views about life if anyone asks. Otherwise we just want to improve the birthing experience of as many women in Taiwan as we can.

Sincerely, Trena and Holly

His Hands Doula services

#8

So its a midwifery service? Is this a legal service? I mean, does the government here recognize your qualifications?

#9

No we are not a midwifery service. We in no way take the place of your OB doctor. If you read the previous post describing our services, we are here for emotional support, help with positioning, communication between hospital staff and the Mom. Anything that we can do to help educate you and assist you in making good choices about your birth. Please refer to
www.childbirthinternational.com
to further read what a Doula is and how they can effect the outcome of a birth. This is a legal option for women in any country. However, it is not yet covered by insurances. DONA (Doulas of North America) came to Taiwan in March of this year at the request of the Obstetrical Society in Taiwan to begin to educate the physicians and others on the benefit of using Doula services. If you are interested in the article here it the web address:
www.dona.org/news/3%2016%2006%20Press%20Release.pdf
I hope this answers your question, please continue to search and ask questions. We know that this is a new concept in Taiwan and welcome any and all questions.

Sincerely, Holly and Trena

His Hands Doula Services

#10

So you’re both fluent in Chinese, then. It sounds interesting. Seems a great deal of the work you do is postpartum. Have you experienced problems with the fact that the established postpartum process here is the “sitting month” and all the superstition, etc., that this involves?

#11

It’s exciting to learn of your service and you can be sure that I’ll be telling people about you.

A friend of mine was a doula here in Taipei up until she relocated last Spring. I had the privilege of being with her and her husband at the homebirth of their daughter here in Taipei. Two Taiwanese midwives were present and my job was to care for the needs of the parents so that my friend’s husband could give her his full attention. She’d given me a list of things that were important to her, and I was in charge of things like taking photos, running the videocam, preparing towels and blankets, warming the receiving blankets in the dryer, bringing the parents food and drink during the birth, keeping the bathwater comfortable as mom labored. At one point after the baby arrived and the midwives were dealing with the afterbirth I was able to say, “Let me take the baby and go take care of her.” I also stayed with the mother and newborn so dad could bring the other child home from the sitter’s. When I finally said goodbye, I found them in the candlelit bedroom introducing the two little ones, with a dinner she’d prepared beforehand warming in the oven. It was an amazing experience.

Of course, I’m not a doula like these ladies Holly and Trena but I can appreciate the work that doulas do and the wisdom they share, whether it’s a home or hospital birth. At a hospital birth (four for me) I think they’d be even more useful (policies and procedures, paperwork, staff coming in and out, medical interventions, etc) When birth plans need to be changed due to complications, mom needs dad’s full attention and extra TLC. That third person can really help lower the stress levels.

Sorry to go on and on but I also want to mention that while His Hands Doula Services (Holy and Trena) is in Gaoxiung, there are three other wonderful resources available up north. Wenling is a bilingual Birthing From Within mentor and La Leche League leader, Anna is available to teach prenatal classes on evenings and weekends and also attend births, and then there’s Sabine Rossnick who leads monthly La Leche League meetings and can also offer breastfeeding support by phone or email.

#12

Braxton Hicks!!! Why of course!!

:laughing: :bravo:

HG

#13

Sandman I didn’t see the “fluency in Chinese” bit. Although I agree that without it, the doula isn’t going to be in much of a position to help vis a vis communication.

Earlier I compared doula to a health visitor, and they disagreed with that, saying that they were more concerned with the birth itself. In fact I think they sound like UK midwives: not the midwives who actually do the delivery (which of course they don’t in Taiwan anyway) but the counselling and helping ones who come round your house for the first week, before the health visitor. I can see how that role could be extended naturally to counselling in the hospital (but midwives working in UK hospitals just deliver babies).

#14

No we are not postpartum Doulas. We only do childbirth education, Labor and one postpartum visit. We both speak Chinese, but fluent would not be the word I would choose to describe it. :laughing: We will however be able to communicate with our patients if they speak Chinese and with the Hospital staff.

Sincerely, Holly and Trena
His Hands Doula Services

#15

Thanks for your support. Sounds like you had a great experience with your friend. Something you and she will never forget. That is what we want to provide for our clients, a beautiful delivery that is done the way they want.

Sincerely,
Trena Campbell RN/Doula
His Hands Doula Services

#16

May I point out that “His Hands” is maybe not the best name for your service? If I needed such a service, I would only want a woman. Your service sounds like it is staffed by male nurses.

#17

Hi bababa,

His Hands refers to Jesus. We are both Christians our practice is prolife, profamily and based on the truth we know that all life is held in “His Hands”. Thanks for you concern

Sincerely, Holly and Trena

His Hands Doula Services

#18

I just want to let all you expectant parents out there know that His Hands Doula Services is available in the Kaohsiung area. We are here to take care of expectant Moms and offer support to her and her partner before during and after the birth. Our Web address is:
[color=blue]http://www.hishandsdoulaservices.homestead.com[/color]
If you have any questions or concerns or need support with your pregnancy we are here and excited to help you make this a wonderful and exciting time in your life.

#19

Ladies,

Greetings and welcome to Forumosa. I hope things are going well for you in Taiwan.

I am curious, though, why you chose Taiwan to start your business in. Taiwan is a predominantly non-Christian country, and you are obviously both pious Christians. I do not doubt your sincerity when you say you are willing to work for people of all races and religions, but I suspect you are more than simply “willing” to pray with your clients. Do you perceive your work as encompassing a missionary aspect at all?

If you have come to non-Christian Taiwan to proselytize Christianity, that’s fine. There are plenty of people on this forum who came to Taiwan for this express purpose. I just think you should state this up front, if it be the case.

Regards,

Gao

#20

People can be Christian and even use a Christian-influenced business name without beating people over the head with their religion. You’re an English speaker…does that mean you’re constantly teaching people English, if they don’t want to learn it?