What Is A Doula?

What The Heck Is A Doula?

I'm always caught off guard when asked this question. What doulas do can not be summed up in a short answer and be given all the credit they deserve. I recently wrote a piece for my handouts and have included it here.

What Is A Doula?

A doula is best summed up in the word Support.

The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves”.

The support doulas offer women are emotional support, informational support, and physical support during the entirety of your labor and delivery. They also provide support in the form of prenatal visits to help you prepare for your labor and delivery before labor along with advocacy and partner support during labor, and breastfeeding support and postpartum visits after labor. Doulas support you no matter what you choose to do or not do.

Studies show that women who have a doula attend them in childbirth have labors that are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

Prenatal Visits

Support in the form of prenatal visits to help you prepare for your upcoming birth. These visits include: help writing a birth plan, discussing what your wishes are for your birth, and help understanding labor and birth.

Informational Support

As a doula I provide you with help gathering information so that you can make informed decisions about your labor and birth of your baby. I offer advice about your options during labor and delivery, and offer explanations for these terms and procedures.

Emotional Support

As a doula I offer a continuous presence during labor, encouragement for the parents to be and/or the woman’s choice of birth partner, reassurance that what is happening is normal, feedback and praise. I act as a road map on your journey through labor and delivery for you and your partner during the process of birth.

Physical Support

As a doula I provide comfort measures such as: massage, counter pressure, positioning, comfort in labor using a rebozo, relaxation methods, birth ball techniques, aroma therapy, hot/cold therapy, mobility and other non-medical forms of pain/stress relief.  

Partner Support

As a doula I do not take the place of your partner. I offer role modeling and/or advice on how the partner can better help and be involved at their own comfort level and help them understand the woman and where she is emotionally and physically at that point of labor. I am support for the partner just as much as I am support for the mother and foster the relationship and experience the couple is sharing.

Advocacy

As a doula I offer to help interpret the woman’s wishes and needs to the hospital staff and/or woman’s partner and family.

Breastfeeding Support, Postpartum Support

As a doula I offer help with first latch, positioning and breastfeeding at the hospital right after birth. I also provide 1-2 postpartum visits after you go home to talk about your experience and answer any questions you might have about you birth and breastfeeding.