Doula
What is a doula?
A Doula...
- is a support person who continuously provides physical, emotional, informational, and spiritual support for the mother and her partner throughout the birthing and postpartum experiences.
- provides support so the birth can be experienced and remembered as the woman and her partner wished and hoped to be because births and postpartum times are key experiences that will be remembered forever.
Provides Information
A doula provides information that you seek so you are able make decisions and choices that are right for you. Our goal is for you to be able to have your own voice and make choices on your own terms while being informed and supported throughout. Having and knowing evidence-based information can be very empowering, providing you with confidence.
Supports Partners
Doulas provide support for partners and other family members so they may be as involved as they wish and hope to be. Doulas do not take away, replace, or force roles on the partners but enhance their role by supporting them to participate within their comfort level.
Listens and Supports
One of the most important jobs of a doula is to listen to you. The well-being of a person is viewed and supported holistically. A doula will become familiar with your expectations, concerns, and hopes and does her best to support them.
Creates an Ideal Atmosphere
Knowing your hopes and wishes, a doula will help you and your partner create a supportive and safe environment to labour, birth, and nurture your baby in either at the hospital or at home.
Supports Breastfeeding
A doula will provide information and support on breastfeeding like making sure mother and baby are comfortable.
Makes Referrals
When situations arise when a doula feels that there may be other experts out there to provide the best support for you, she will make further referrals to those experts.
Helps With All Your Needs (Postpartum Doula)
A postpartum doula will support the mom, not only emotionally and physically and with the newborn baby, but with many other things that you need to take care of including light housework, meal preparation, taking care of older children, and supporting partners and other family members. As long as those tasks are done in order to support the wellbeing of the mother, the doula will provide that support.
Birth Doula
A Birth Doula is a labour support person who gives continuous emotional, physical, spiritual, and informational support during labour.
We do not provide any medical care, but we offer information that you seek to allow you to make informed decisions.
During our prenatal meeting, we become familiar with your wishes, hopes, and concerns and help you create a comfortable atmosphere and environment for the birth. If partners or other family members are present, we provide guidance and support for them too so they can be as involved as you and they wish and hope to be.
We see birth as a key event in one’s life and hope to give women the support they deserve during their empowered experience. We believe that with this support, women can experience and remember her birth as she wished and hoped to.
Our services include one obligation-free interview, at least one (depending on your needs and the situation) prenatal meeting, support in labour (usually from active labour at home) until after the baby is born and everyone is settled, and one postpartum visit usually in the first week.
During the immediate postpartum period and the postpartum visit, we provide breastfeeding support if needed. We also make further referrals when necessary.
Postpartum Doula
A Postpartum Doula support mothers after the baby has arrived.
In cases when we have the chance to meet the clients before the birth, we would like to schedule an obligation-free interview and a prenatal meeting. Otherwise, we will meet you after the baby is born.
We offer evidence-based informational support and companion during the precious postpartum period.
Specific services can include anything from meal preparation, light household chores, listening, and family adjustment, as long as it is something that will support the mother.
We recognize that the postpartum period is a time when mothers and new families need positive support. We believe it is a precious time for the new family to bond with one another and we would like you to find that time and space while we mother you and take care of the rest.
During the obligation-free interview, we will discuss what your needs are for the services and decide how often and when you need the services. We make further referrals when necessary.
For further information on what a doula is, you may click on our Resources section and find DONA International (Doulas of North America International) and DSA (Doula Services Association of British Columbia). Their websites also include information on new research results supporting the positive effects of having a doula.
What a Doula Is Not...
To know what a doula is, it can also be helpful to know what we don't do, that other professionals offer.
- Health Care Provider
A doula does not provide health care. She does not do things such as fetal heart rate monitoring, vaginal exams, and taking your blood pressure. She is your support person who stays by your side, holding your hand or breathing with you, or providing whatever physical or emotional support that is needed then.
- Housemaid or Baby-nurse
Postpartum Doula services do include such things as meal preparations, baby care, light household organization, and taking care of older children, but these services are provided only to support the mom bond and spend time with her new baby and make the transition to her new life positively and effectively. If the mother is very tired, the doula may look after the new baby for a bit while the mom has a nap so the mom can be re-energized to spend loving time with the baby again.
