What is a Doula?
A Doula is someone who assists in guiding you through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period.
A Birth Doula
- Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
- Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
- Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
- Stays with the woman throughout the labor
- Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision
- Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
- Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience
- Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level~From Doula’s of North America
A doula is an ancient Greek term meaning a ” women who serves” or “mothering the mother”. Today, doulas are serving families as a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous emotional, physical and informational support to the family before, during and after birth. Studies have shown that when a doula attends a birth, the labors are shorter, easier, and have less complications. The babies are healthier, and they take to the breast more easily. Cesarean rates decrease, as do medication needs.
