The word “Doula” comes from the Greek word, meaning “a woman who serves”.  The most common role of Modern day Doula’s is to support women and families in welcoming new life into the world. This is done through practicing various coping techniques, gaining confidence and understanding in the ability to birth, encouraging/empowering support, and informing the family with the information they need to make their own informed decisions about the birth of their child (and all that it involves).

The Doula will support a family in whatever location you plan to birth (hospital, birth center, or home).

There are Doula’s that support families before, during, and a brief period after the birth of a child. These Doula’s are called Labor Support Doula’s. There are also Postpartum Doula’s that support the family for the first few weeks after birth to help the family in transition. I offer both of these services.

Labor Doula  (Services Offered) 

Postpartum Doula 

• Doula's Offer physical, emotional, informational and spiritual support during pregnancy, birth and a brief period postpartum. From charting contractions, to wiping your brow, to helping you and your husband feel confident in the birth process and as parents, I will walk humbly beside you on this journey. This is YOUR birth though, the Doula's job is only to help you discover the power and beauty within!
• I will give you kind reminders of what your body can do and encourage you through the birth, while also helping you feel comfortable and at peace amidst the intense pressure that comes with birth by suggesting different coping tools and techniques.
• My goal is to help your family have a positive, peaceful experience of birth. I will help fathers support the mother and baby in labor; while empowering the mother to work with her body to birth her baby.
• I will not make decisions for you, but will help you attain the information you need to make an informed decision on your own and help you feel confident in communicating with your healthcare provider.
• I will even help clean up after the birth, if you have your child at home, so you and your family can just focus on loving your baby!
• While a midwife or doctor ensures all of your medical needs are met and you and baby are healthy and safe when you are in labor; a doula will be there to offer continual physical, emotional, informational, spiritual and practical support to you from the start of labor until after the birth. 

• Postpartum Doula’s assist families after the birth in transitioning to all the new things that come with a new baby in the home.  Whether it is the first child or the seventh, with a new soul and another person to love, there is always an enlargening of the heart required; having an extra hand to help around the house with daily tasks and being there to answer any questions or process the birth with you could be very helpful!

Why Choose a Doula?

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• A study done in Guatemala in 1980 showed that woman who had a kind woman with them in labor, were more satisfied with their birth. Women remember every detail of their births’ for years, so it is important to have a good experience!
• Cochrane Collaboration Pregnancy and Childbirth Group found that women who have Doula’s during labor have fewer medical interventions, shorter births, less vacuum/forcep delivery, less C-sections, less analgesic use (opioid used for relief of severe pain), and report to have more positive birth experiences.

Austin, J. (2011, November) Research Shows the Effectiveness of Doula’s. Retrieved from: http://www.birthtakesavillage.com/research-shows-effectiveness-doulas-2/
 

•  Women who have one-on-one support from a Doula during birth are: - 28% less likely to have a C-section, 31% less likely to use synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor (your body makes this naturally), 9% less likely to use pain medications, and 34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively. Simkin, P. (2012). Position Paper: The Birth Doula’s Role in Maternity Care. Retrieved from: https://www.dona.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/DONA-Birth-Position-Paper-FINAL.pdf

"This is my Body, given up for you"-   Luke 22:19