What do Doulas do?

preg·nant

adjective

1.(of a woman or female animal) having a child or young developing in the uterus.

2. full of meaning; significant or suggestive.

dou·la

noun

a woman who is trained to assist another woman during childbirth and who may provide support to the family after the baby is born.

What is a Doula?

Doula is a Greek word meaning "woman servant". In modern times the word doula refers to a non-medical person who provides physical and emotional support to a woman and her partner during pregnancy, labor, and birth. Studies have shown that when doulas attend births, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

Supporting Women through

Pregnancy and Birth

A doula will help you track your birthing sensations and help you decide when to call your midwife or head to the hospital
A doula will get your birthing pool set up
A doula will help you get settled in at the hospital (if you are having a hospital birth)
A doula will work with your partner to help you get comfortable
A doula will wipe your brow & remind you to breathe
She’ll squeeze your hips (trust me, it feels GOOD!)
She’ll help your partner feel confident
Sometimes, your doula may even let your membranes release on her (although we try to avoid that… sometimes you just end up in the most unexpected positions!)
A doula will watch Frasier with you between sensations when you’re in very active birthing
And she’ll snap mediocre photos so your partner can enjoy the moment (if you haven’t also hired a professional birth photographer to get those really yummy shots!)
Your doula will tidy up post-home-birth…(you’ll never know you birthed in your living room if you have a home birth. We can even whisk away your placenta and encapsulate it if you like):
A doula supports you with words of encouragement (and her arms and shoulders):
She’ll guide you through your first round of breastfeeding:
She will share in your emotion:
… And she’ll step back while you enjoy some really precious moments:

Don't the nurses provide the same care a doula does?

While there are many great and attentive nurses, they simply do not have the time to provide continuous care to every laboring woman. Many times the nurses have multiple women in labor at the same time. They will be dividing their time between you and other women. A nurse also works in shifts. There may be a shift change during your labor in which time the nurse will go home. When you hire a doula, they do not leave your side. A nurse is trained in the clincial tasks whereas a doula is trained in comfort techniques.

Do doulas only attend natural or homebirths?

Doulas can support every type of birth whether in the hopsital or at home. Interventions and c-section rates are lower when doulas attend births. Doulas have training in techniques that are useful during inductions or planned epidurals. They can also support for a planned cesarean. A doula's role is to support the birth choices you make. Your doula will prepare you for birth and provide the support to achieve your goals.