What is a Doula?

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A doula (pronounced: Doo-la) is a professionally trained lay person who assists families before, during and after birth. She is a supportive companion who is not a family member or friend. A birth doula offers support and guidance throughout labor and birth. She performs no clinical tasks. A postpartum doula is a woman who is trained or experienced in providing postpartum care. This care includes mother and newborn care, breastfeeding support and advice, cooking, child care, errands, and light cleaning. A doula is a woman who helps create a nurturing physical and emotional climate around a new mother and her family.

A Birth Doula meets with the expectant couple before birth to answer questions, listen to concerns, and provide information. She gets to know the couple, their desires for birth and the topics most important them. During the birth, the doula provides continuous physical and emotional support. She offers information and helps facilitate communication between the birthing couple and the medical staff.

Photo courtesy of Whatever Photo
A Postpartum Doula is a woman who attends the mother and her family after birth. Most postpartum doulas are mothers themselves who have breastfed their own children and enjoy motherhood. She cares for the needs of the mother and her family as she recovers from childbirth. While our culture focuses on women during pregnancy and delivery, it is essential that the new mother have support throughout the postpartum period. The role of a postpartum doula is to ease this transition.