What is a Doula?

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The word 'doula' comes from a Greek word meaning “Woman Servant”.  From ancient times, women had companions and assistants such as friends, family, and midwives with them during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. The doula essentially ‘mothers the mother’.

A doula:

• Recognizes birth as a key life experience, understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
• Assists a laboring woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for the birth
• Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout labor, with no change of shift
• Provides emotional support, practical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint, and information to aid decision-making
• Makes a woman’s birth experience a positive memory with rich rewards and feelings of accomplishment
• Acts as liaison between the laboring woman, her partner, and her clinical care provider

Doulas are not medical professionals, and the following tasks are not performed by doulas:

• Perform clinical tasks such as blood pressure, vaginal exams, or fetal heart monitoring
• Speak to medical staff on their behalf
• Make decisions for you
• Do not give medical advice or diagnose conditions
• Do not make decisions for the client (medical or otherwise)
• Does not pressure the birthing person into certain choices just because that’s what they prefer
• Does not replace their partner or clinical care providers