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What
is a Doula?
The word “doula”
comes from the ancient Greek and is now used to refer to a woman
experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional,
and informational support to the mother before, during, and just
after childbirth or who provides emotional and practical support
during the postpartum period.
Studies have shown that when doulas
attend births, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies
are healthier, and they breastfeed more easily.
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Birth Doula…
• Recognizes childbirth as a key experience the
mother will remember all her life
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of
a woman in labor
• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans
for the birth
• Stays with the woman throughout the labor
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, and an
objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman
get the information she needs to make informed decisions
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner,
and clinical care providers
• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s
memory of the birth experience
• Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her own
comfort level
A Postpartum Doula…
• Offers
education, quiet non-judgmental support, and companionship during the
postpartum 4th trimester
• Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation,
and light household tidying
• Offers evidence-based information on infant-feeding, emotional
and physical recovery from childbirth, infant soothing, coping skills
for new parents, and makes appropriate referrals when necessary. |
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