what is a doula

Birth Divas Doula Support

Helping women, partners, and babies
have the best birth experience possible

What is a doula?

A doula is someone who has experience with labor and birth. Doulas are trained professionals who have met criteria set forth by their certifying organization. A doula is a person who provides women and their partners emotional support and assistance with comfort measures during labor and birth. Doulas also understand the physiology of the birth experience and understand the emotional needs of a laboring woman. They know that birth is an experience that will be remembered forever.

A postpartum doula is a person who provides care to the new family in their home. Assistance comes in any form welcome by the new family but typically includes the following:
- light housework
- babysitting the baby or older children - meal preparation
- help with breastfeeding
- anything that the postpartum doula
and family agree on.

A birth doula is a person who is with you from early labor, throughout labor and birth, and during the postpartum period. During this time, a birth doula will:
- remind you of your birth plan
wishes if needed
- stay close to the laboring
woman throughout labor and
birth
- help you get any information
necessary to help you make
informed decisions
- act as a patient advocate by
opening lines of communication
between the laboring family,
her physician or midwife,
and nurses
- keep record of your birth in an
effort to protect your memory
of the birth experience
- assist with breastfeeding.