What is a Doula?
Doula comes from the Greek language meaning woman caregiver.
The term is now used to mean a trained and experienced labor companion that provides the woman and her husband or partner continuous emotional support, physical comfort, and assist in obtaining information before, during, and after childbirth.
· 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
(http://www.dona.org/mothers/index.php)
In my terms a Doula is a compassionate woman that is allowed into the home, labor, and birthing room to support the mother, partner, and family during the birth of their baby(s). She has been specially trained in prenatal, labor, and birth care/support/encouragement as well as comfort measures such as massage, proper breathing, ideal labor/birthing positions, communicating with hospital, midwife, nurse, and doctor staff, knowledge on medications, helping your baby into ideal birth positions, facing challenging childbirth situations, mother and baby(s) bonding experience, newborn breastfeeding and postpartum support, to name a few.
Why Use a Doula?
Women have complex needs during childbirth and the weeks that follow. In addition to medical care and the love and companionship provided by their partners, women need consistent, continuous reassurance, comfort, encouragement and respect. They need individualized care based on their circumstances and preferences.
DONA International doulas are educated and experienced in childbirth and the postpartum period. We are prepared to provide physical (non-medical), emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth, as well as to families in the weeks following childbirth. We offer a loving touch, positioning and comfort measures that make childbearing women and families feel nurtured and cared for.
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth
· tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
· reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
· reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
· reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals
(http://www.dona.org/mothers/index.php)
As your doula I will not replace your partner. Instead, I will enhance the support of your partner so that he or she can love and encourage you while in labor. I help to take the pressure off your partner to perform, allowing them to enjoy the experience.
The term is now used to mean a trained and experienced labor companion that provides the woman and her husband or partner continuous emotional support, physical comfort, and assist in obtaining information before, during, and after childbirth.
· 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
(http://www.dona.org/mothers/index.php)
In my terms a Doula is a compassionate woman that is allowed into the home, labor, and birthing room to support the mother, partner, and family during the birth of their baby(s). She has been specially trained in prenatal, labor, and birth care/support/encouragement as well as comfort measures such as massage, proper breathing, ideal labor/birthing positions, communicating with hospital, midwife, nurse, and doctor staff, knowledge on medications, helping your baby into ideal birth positions, facing challenging childbirth situations, mother and baby(s) bonding experience, newborn breastfeeding and postpartum support, to name a few.
Why Use a Doula?
Women have complex needs during childbirth and the weeks that follow. In addition to medical care and the love and companionship provided by their partners, women need consistent, continuous reassurance, comfort, encouragement and respect. They need individualized care based on their circumstances and preferences.
DONA International doulas are educated and experienced in childbirth and the postpartum period. We are prepared to provide physical (non-medical), emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth, as well as to families in the weeks following childbirth. We offer a loving touch, positioning and comfort measures that make childbearing women and families feel nurtured and cared for.
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth
· tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
· reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
· reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
· reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals
(http://www.dona.org/mothers/index.php)
As your doula I will not replace your partner. Instead, I will enhance the support of your partner so that he or she can love and encourage you while in labor. I help to take the pressure off your partner to perform, allowing them to enjoy the experience.
