Meghan Markle Hires A Doula For Childbirth & Prince Harry Getting ‘Coaching’ Lessons

Meghan Markle is breaking royal tradition by reportedly hiring a birth partner, known as a doula, to help her get ready to have her first child with Prince Harry this spring.

Meghan Markle, 37, may now be a royal but she’s still making her own rules when it comes to the birth of her first child! The mom-to-be has officially hired a birth partner, known as a doula, to help her give birth to the bundle of joy this spring, according to US Weekly. Since the royals typically don’t hire any kind of partner during births, this is definitely a big deal, and it proves Meghan’s going with whatever she feels is best for her birth, whether it’s tradition or not. Lauren Mishcon, 40, a mother-of-three, has been identified as the woman who will be there to hold Meghan’s hand throughout the birth, according to The Sun.

A doula, like the one Meghan will be working with, is supposed to help a soon-to-be mother deal with her stress and worry about her pregnancy. They help during the birthing process by encouraging the woman in labor to relax through breathing exercises and positions, and the help can even reduce the overall labor by two hours. In addition to Lauren, Meghan will be accompanied by a regular midwife, The Sun also reported. Meghan’s not the only one Lauren will be helping, either. It turns out she’s also coaching dad-to-be Prince Harry, 34, on how to care for the Duchess of Sussex during the labor.

In choosing Lauren, Meghan and Harry seemed to make sure to pick a prominent woman for the job. Lauren is married to Oliver Mishcon, whose grandfather worked as an attorney at the same law firm that handled Harry’s late mom, Princess Diana‘s divorce from his dad Prince Charles in 1996. The Sun spoke with Lauren about the headline-making news that she’s helping Meghan and Harry, but she wasn’t allowed to give any confirmation or details. “I am obviously not at liberty to talk about who, or who might not, be my client,” she explained to the publication. “So I can’t ­possibly . . . I wouldn’t be able to talk to you about anything.” On a doula-related online message board, however, Lauren made a post that read, “I’m busy in Spring.”

Although no exact date has been confirmed, Meghan is set to give birth sometime around late April. The birth is expected to take place at Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, which is the same place Meghan’s sister-in-law Kate Middleton, 37, gave birth to her three children with Prince William, 36.

Article source: https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/02/03/meghan-markle-hires-doula-childbirth-breaking-royal-tradition/