Dueling Doulas

I'm pasting below a post I put on my doula forum, in response to another post, which was a slam against DHA enhanced formula, but which contained no factual evidence for the opinion.  The reason I'm posting it to this blog is because I think it helps delineate my views on my job, and because, I still have not decided if I want to start a blog specifically about my work, or continue to post my doula stuff on my "family" blog.  In the mean time, I don't want to lose my ideas, so they are getting shuffled into this blog until further notice. 

I agree with what has already been said.  As doulas, educators, and counselors trained through CBI, our job is to provide information so that mothers (and fathers) can make informed decisions about the way they choose to birth and feed their babies.  Using capital letters implies yelling in any internet correspondence, and this is part of the reason why your post was seen as inflammatory. 

As we have learned in our coursework (and as anyone who has studied statistics understands) anecdotal “evidence” is an oxymoron and essentially useless.  In the same way our own birth experience is irrelevant to our client’s experience, so one (or even several) babies getting sick from any particular type of formula is meaningless.  I am sure that better evidence is available than one nurse’s opinion.  Otherwise, we should always specify that our information source is only anecdotal.  “No studies have been done yet, but several hospitals have recommended against this formula because they have seen sick babies from it”.  This is a neutral statement, giving the information necessary, with no opinion thrown in.  At that point, a mother has the information she needs to decide. 

Every woman participating in this forum knows that breast is best.  Every woman here knows that formula industry has acted and will continue to act unethically in its marketing if not controlled.  You are preaching to the choir here.  And so I know for me personally, I come to this forum to read the following:

-          Personal accounts and appeals for advice from doulas/educators/counselors, which allows us all to benefit and share experience

-          Summaries and links to new information that someone has found relevant to our work

It seems unnecessary to vent about the horrors of formula, c-sections, etc, when we are all of the same basic opinion on these matters. 

As for DHA enhanced formula, of course it is a gimmick to sell more formula.  HOWEVER, the formula industry’s attempts to match formula more closely to human milk, whatever their motivation, is a GOOD THING for babies.  There will always be babies who are formula fed, whether by mother’s choice, or because mom had no choice.  The closer artificial formula comes to mother’s milk, the better off the baby will be.  Perhaps the current formula with DHA is not the right one, but finding a way to add DHA to formula is a good idea in and of itself, and when the formula is perfected, it will be beneficial to artificially fed babies that DHA has been added.

My most recent realization about being a doula and breastfeeding consultant is that it is totally unnecessary for me to understand my client’s decisions and choices.  My job is to present evidence based information, encourage moms to use it when making decisions, and even to give gentle nudges when a mom is wavering on a decision.  After that, it is my job to stand back and be supportive and compassionate.  I would never attempt to discriminate my clientele based on whether or not she has the same beliefs on these issues as I do, though it is every doula’s prerogative to choose her clientele.  I do prefer working with clients who are on the same wavelength as me, but I learn much more from those who are not.