What is a doula?

A doula has professional training and extensive knowledge of the birth process in order to support a woman both emotionally and physically during her pregnancy, labor, and the period of time after her birth. This training differs among doulas – some are trained in massage or other bodywork therapies, some are childbirth educators, some have given birth themselves.

A doula uses her skills to be a resource for the woman throughout her pregnancy, answering questions and building confidence in the birth process. She attends her client in labor, providing a constant presence of calm reassurance as well as more tangible support including massage, hydration, and nourishment.

Doulas do not replace a woman’s partner; rather, they are present to support the entire family so that a woman can relax and allow herself to surrender to the birth process. Most doulas differ from nurses, midwives and physicians in that they rarely have medical training.

Since I am trained as a midwife, I am therefore qualified to perform internal exams during labor and able to evaluate the pregnancy and labor for normalcy. This often helps my clients have more confidence, especially in early labor when they are still in their own homes.