What is a Doula anyways??

I hear all the time that having a Doula at your birth is worth the investment. And it warms my heart each and every time!
So What Can a Doula do for you?
A Doula offers 
              Emotional Support-encouragement, reassurance, and a continuous physical presence
              Informational Support- assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options, explanations, non-medical advice
               Physical Support- comfort measures, positioning, massage, breathing, relaxation, and other non- pharmacological  pain relief measures                            
               Advocacy- interpreting the woman's wishes to the hospital staff
               Partner Support- role modeling, encouragement, reassurance

A Doula will not  perform clinical tasks, such as blood pressure, vaginal exams, fetal heart monitor checks, etc. Doulas work from the waist up.

Doulas do not make decisions on behalf of the mother or partner. Doulas will assist with weighing the pros and cons if interventions are necessary or helping the couple find the right questions to ask the health care providers, but ultimately the decision rests with the couple.

Women who receive continuous labor support  are less likely to experience :
*Epidural or other regional analgesia ( 28% less likely)
*Any analgesia/anesthesia, including epidurals
*Birth with vacuum extraction or forceps (41% less likely)
*Birth by cesarean (26% less likely)
*Dissatisfaction or a negative rating of their experience (33% less likely)

More likely to experience:
*Enhanced breastfeeding
*Better maternal-infant interaction
*Less postpartum depression, anxiety, and greater self-esteem
*Higher maternal assessments of their baby when compared to the 'standard baby'
*Greater satisfaction with the birth experience
*Shorter labor by up to 98 Min

What does 'Doula' mean?The word Doula means to serve the mother with everything we have: our bodies, our minds, our hearts, and our spirit

What about my partner? A Doula does not replace a husband or birth partner; they work with them and can enhance their experience. They provide suggestions on how to support the mother, or allow them to be a bit more hands-off if they are feeling overwhelmed, since labor can be quite overwhelming at times for the people on the sidelines. The Doula can also relieve the birth partner so they can eat or take a nap. A Doula knows pregnancy, labor and birth, and the partner knows the mother — it's a perfect team ready and willing to do anything.