The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. A Birth Doula:
*Recognizes birth as a key experience the mo
ther 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 his/her comfort level
My journey to become a Doula started almost 25 years ago when I became pregnant with my first child. I was young, only 19 years old when I became a mother. So being young and naive, I knew that the best thing that I could rely on to get me through would be my intuition and my instincts. Both powered by my spirituality and positive self-talk, I had an incredible birth. I have since utilized my technique to get myself through 3 more natural births without the need to medication. All four babies were born strong, healthy, and eager to breastfeed. Outside of my own 4 natural births, I have provided my Doula services at 6 additional births all being able to avoid Cesarean Birth (C-section)...mother's wishes! Faster healing for mommies). I have been receiving my Doula education/certification through Dona International.
