FAQs
What is a doula?
A Birth Doula:
* Recognizes birth 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 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 her 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 their comfort level
A Postpartum Doula
* Offers education, companionship and nonjudgmental support during the postpartum fourth 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 birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary
