What is a doula?

The word doula is an ancient Greek word meaning female servant. The term doula has come to mean a woman who mothers the mother. A doula stays with a laboring woman throughout the entire labor and birth journey offering her support and encourgement through this major life event.

I believe it is important that a doula not dictate but support both the natural process of labor as well as be aware of the mother and the birth partner’s wishes and expectations. A doula works with the mother and family before, during and after birth, providing information and helping to relieve anxiety surrounding the birth experience. A doula's knowledge can take pressure off of the birth partner and the rest of the family by helping them understand the labor process.

Doulas guide women and their partners through labor and birth with comfort measures such as massage, relaxation and breathing techniques, postioning and movement. Doulas offer to run errands for the mother if needed. Fixing a cool drink for the mother, warming a rice pack, or fixing a hot cup of coffee for the partner. Mothers and partners enjoy feeling pampered and well taken care of during labor.

Doulas do not preform clinical tasks such as blood pressure checks, vaginal exams or fetal heart rate measurments. Nor do they give medical advice or make decisions for the laboring family. Doulas work with the medical team being a positive advocate for the birthing woman, helping her to hear and process information so that she can make informed choices. I feel mothers in labor can better focus on birth and their bodies when they know they have an advocate by their side that is both rational and empathetic.