And thank you for considering to partner with a doula during this wonderful journey.

 

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

Today, " Birth Doula" refers to a professional trained woman who provides and offers continous emotional, physical and informational support to expectant women and their families during childbirth to facilitate the best birth experience.

Doulas can assist women with births at home, in the hospital or at a birth center, and they provide pain management techniques, reassurance and advocacy in the labor room.

Doulas recognize birth as a key life experience and as an empowering event in a woman’s life.

Labor support can be invaluable to the woman's partner as well: a doula can reassure, at whatever level he is confortable.

A positive birth experience contributes to healthy parent-newborn bonding, making for a secure infant, a confident mother and a connected family.

Research evidence shows women who received continuous support were more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births with fewer medical interventions including epidural, vacuum or forceps-assisted births, and C-sections. And their babies had higher APGAR score at birth.

In addition, these women expressed a more positive outlook on their birth experience and rates of postpartum depression were greatly reduced.

 

Because every labor and birth is a unique experience, the doula’s role will adapt in some way to fit and respond to the needs of each birth she attends. She nurtures a woman and her family with personal and individualized care. This is the art of being a doula!

Doulas are NOT medical professionals and do not perform clinical tasks.

The “Postpartum Doula” helps ease the transition into parenthood, offers education, companionship and nonjudgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester recovery.

She assists with newborn care, family adjustment, light cleaning and meal preparation, helps transitioning to parenting alone when a spouse returns to work, labor and birth debriefing and makes appropriate referrals when necessary.

Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can improve parental satisfaction, improve breastfeeding and reduce the risk of mood disorders.

Every Woman deserves a Doula!