Soothing support
        At 2:30 a.m. March 3, Giachello called her doula just minutes after her water broke and uttered those four classic words
-- "I think it's time." After the two settled into Manchester Memorial Hospital, the doula worked her magic, using a combination of massage, aromatherapy, and soothing words to ease Giachello's mind.
            And by 7:30 a.m., Giachello, a service consultant for ING-Aetna Financial Services, in Hartford welcomed her 7-pound,
13-ounce son, Jaylen, into the world, with her doula by her side."She made me feel like I wasn't alone," Debbie says. "She knew
what I was going through. I felt safe and comfortable. When I was in labor with my daughter, I remember thinking, 'this is the worse thing in the world,' but with my son, I was so relaxed"."When you're in labor, you need someone to get in your face like that to keep you positive and focused," she adds with a smile. "Doulas are invaluable. They are amazing people."

Midwives vs. doulas
        Although doulas and midwives both believe in offering physical and emotional support to women in labor, there are some distinct differences, certified nurse midwife Susan DeJoy, the director of the Midwifery and Community Health Division for Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, says.Unlike midwives, who administer medication and "catch the baby," doulas can't perform clinical
or medical procedures, she says. In addition, most major insurance companies pay for midwifery fees, while expectant parents typically pay for doula services themselves DeJoy adds.Doulas offer two types of service. Birth doulas assist women through pregnancy, labor, and birth. Postpartum doulas help mothers for an interim period at home with household chores and meal preparation. They also offer tips on breastfeeding and help them adjust to their new role.
            Certified birth doulas must complete doula certification workshops, where they review the birth process and possible complications from it. In addition, prospective birth doulas learn pain management techniques and practice role-playing labor situations.They also must assist mothers in a set number of deliveries.Two certifying agencies include Doulas of North America or DONA, or the Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators -- also known as ALACE.South Windsor resident Jennifer Dzen a birth doula with Birth Partners, says she's finally found her "calling." The 29-year-old mother of three, who previously worked as a dental hygienist, says she hopes to help other women with their experiences."Childbirth is like a journey," she says. "People need support when they are going through something painful and scary. Doulas are there to help people achieve the type of birth
they want. You are like a strong rock for them."
            Birth Partners, which services Connecticut, southern Massachusetts, and parts of New York, charge clients $550 for birth doulas' services, says Hall, who became Connecticut's first certified doula in 1991. For $50 more, doulas will provide early labor
care at a client's home before moving on to the desired birthplace, she adds.Postpartum doulas through Birth Partners generally charge $24 an hour for their services, Hall says. Postpartum doulas typically spend a few hours a week with mothers and their new babies for a short period of time.Hall says requests for birth doulas through her Birth Partners have doubled this year. She predicts that her organization will assist in more than 100 births this year."There's definitely an increase," she says. "A lot more people are interested in hiring doulas."
            As doulas are increasingly becoming more of a household name, more hospitals, including Hartford Hospital, are recommending doula services to their patients.Studies show that women who have birth doulas by their sides have experienced shorter labor and the need for cesarean sections is reduced, according to Dr. Stephen Curry, co-director of Women's Health
Services at Hartford Hospital.Hartford Hospital encourages pregnant women to hire doulas to have a smoother delivery and birth experience, Curry says. Doctors believe that pregnant women who have high stress during childbirth are more apt to have a difficult labor, he adds.But the presence of a doula can help alleviate that, he says."We try to emphasize that hiring a doula is critically important as long as there is not a significant medical reason to be compromised," Curry says. "It allows the mother to focus on
the positive side of her labor and delivery experience."
           And that's just what helped 29-year-old South Windsor resident Robin Lagasse with the birth of her second son, Charlie,
last month. Lagasse says her doula helped guide her through labor with massage therapy and offered unique pain management techniques.One method included using a medicine ball -- a large, rubber ball that women either sit on or lean on to rest sore
muscles, ease contractions, and help the baby move down the birth canal."My doula, Maureen, was wonderful," Lagasse says.
"She really gave me reassurance. She told me what was happening with my body, and that made the pain more bearable. She
kept telling me, 'You're almost there, you're doing great.' That really helped. I couldn't have gotten through it without her support."

Always there
        Forty-five-year-old Nancy Kozak of Suffield, who has worked as a certified birth doula the last three years, has assisted in more than 40 births.Although it's a 24-hour-a-day job, it's something she wouldn't ever give up, she says. "The job is demanding at times", Kozak acknowledges, but the rewards far outweigh some of those sleepless nights."When you take a client on, you are
there for them day or night," she says. "I've gotten calls from clients at all hours of the night, whether it's to talk about their fears or help them during labor. It's part of the job."Birth can be a scary experience, but we teach women it has a purpose and it's a natural part of life," she adds.Kozak typically works with two or three clients a month. That limit helps her avoid overlapping labors.And
while some days are busier than others, Kozak says she doesn't have to look too far to remember why she loves her job."Birth is something women never forget," she says. "To be a part of that, to me, is a huge privilege. It's a great experience. If I can make a positive impact on a woman's birth experience, it's made my day."