The word doula is a Greek word that means “one who serves” or literally “female servant”. The dictionary defines it as “a woman who assists women during labor and after childbirth”.

Birth Doulas are not medical professionals, however, a Doula’s job is to provide continuous emotional and physical support during labor, as well as helping their clients understand the medical terms or procedures that the doctor or nurse may be prescribing.

A Doula is there to support and assist the birthing person in non-medical comfort measures such as movement or labor positions, breathing, relaxation, physical touch or massage, the use of hot or cold packs, support in bathing or showering, and to provide other helpful assistance in a way that is calming, reassuring, supporting, and empowering to the birthing person and their support team. They encourage the birthing person to stick with their birth plan during the labor process, but support their client’s decision if they change their mind, without making the birthing person feel badly about their choices.

Even though Doulas do not make medical decisions for their client or tell their client what they should do, their job is to know about the information that is being provided by the doctor or medical staff and be able to help educate their client so they can understand the risks and/or benefits of any interventions that may be suggested. Doulas can help make the most out of pain relief while minimizing the possible undesirable side effects of pain medications or other pain management protocols.

It is the Doula’s responsibility to meet with their client a few times before labor begins and start to develop a trusting relationship with them. The Doula will help the client design their birth plan as they work together toward making the birthing process live up to their client’s desires. The Doula’s job is also to help guide and encourage the birthing person’s spouse or partner, so that they can feel comfortable and confident in their desired level of involvement during the birth and postpartum period.

When labor begins, the Doula will either meet the client at their home to help with the beginning stages of labor or meet directly at the hospital if their client wishes that. Whether laboring at home, in the hospital, or at a birthing center, the Doula does not leave the birthing person’s side until after the delivery and immediate postpartum.

Many medical professionals like the idea of having a Doula in the delivery room because they know that the birthing person’s emotional and physical needs will be continually met during labor when they can’t be there. This makes the birthing process a much more satisfying experience for the birthing person and their family. Studies show that women who use a Doula are less likely to have a cesarean birth. They use less medication, use less interventions, like Pitocin to speed up labor, have fewer epidurals, and have fewer forceps or vacuum extraction births than women who don’t use a Doula.

Using a Doula can increase the probability of the birthing person having a more positive birthing experience because of the continuous support they are receiving. Even after delivery, Doulas have several resources to share with the new family if needed and they check in on you a couple of times after the birth to make sure you, your partner, and your baby are all healthy, happy and doing well!!

The word doula is a Greek word that means “one who serves” or literally “female servant”. The dictionary defines it as “a woman who assists women during labor and after childbirth”.

A Postpartum Doula is someone who attends to a new mother and her family consistently during the 12 weeks after delivery…a period known as the 4th trimester. Many new parents feel overwhelmed by the fact that they now have a tiny new person living with them all the time, who is totally dependent on them for survival. This sense of overwhelm can be especially intense for the birthing person if she is breastfeeding.

Oftentimes, new parents may assume that they will have no problem figuring it all out after the baby comes home…just to face a rude awakening of sleepless nights, different colored poops, and a baby that seems to be screaming “all the time”. Some new parents have the assistance of friends and family who have had children, so they can learn strategies and skills to help them cope with these first few weeks. But the reality is that life has a tendency to get in the way, and there usually ends up not being enough support available. Also, relying on friends and family for child-rearing information at this early stage may unfortunately result in strategies that are outdated or simply counterproductive.

A Postpartum Doula is a person who is specifically trained for the 4th trimester. Their training includes postpartum adjustment, newborn care, feeding and sleep. They can offer evidence-based information on newborn development characteristics, the promotion of parent/infant bonding, the emotional and physical recovery of the mother, infant soothing, and can offer vital coping strategies to help you successfully navigate the postpartum period.

Unlike a “Baby Nurse”, who comes into the home and just takes care of a newborn baby, a Postpartum Doula provides comprehensive newborn care in addition to breastfeeding guidance, physical and emotional support for the new parents, and practical information and education. Although Doulas don’t give medical advice or treatment, they help with the non-medical side of support, assisting with the practical and psycho-social needs of their clients.

A Postpartum Doula helps to “mother the new mother”. Providing an extra pair of hands when needed for daily tasks or to assist with other children, promoting mother/baby bonding, and encouraging the mother’s physical recovery from pregnancy and birth. Your Doula will also pay close attention to the moods, behaviors, and unspoken cues of the mother, to ascertain if there may be a need to help with baby blues or more serious postpartum depression issues. They can also offer appropriate referrals if needed.

The role of a Postpartum Doula is to help educate and give support and companionship to the family in a loving and non- judgmental way. They can help you design a plan to deal with the eventual influx of visitors who want to “see the baby” and help filter out any outdated and often unsolicited advice. They may also lend a hand with light household tasks and some meal preparations during this time.

Simply put, a Postpartum Doula will assist with the incorporation of your new baby into your life and home, and help you with newborn care as you embark on this amazing new Adventure called Parenthood!!