dou·la

noun

a person who is trained to assist another person during a life transition. 

I get asked this question frequently. Often times people confuse doulas with midwives. Doulas don't catch babies or offer medical advice. We are non-clinical. We are strictly waist up. We offer continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the birthing person before, during and after birth; and/or we provide emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. 

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they body feed more easily. Not bad, huh?

I attend births in the hospital, at birthing centers, and in people's homes. My goal is for a pregnant person and their family to have an informed birth. Knowledge is power – I have no other agenda. No doula should judge you or make you feel bad for the choices you make during your birth. 

NOPE!

A very popular misconception is that doulas are only for people wanting an un-medicated vaginal birth. I work with clients that plan on getting an epidural but would like some tips and techniques for managing labor at home before heading to the hospital. Even after the epidural is placed I can help with positioning to encourage the baby to descend (oh, I love a peanut ball!!!) and make sure that the birthing person is loved on and fully informed. I also have assisted clients through planned cesarean births. Every birth is different and having a knowledgeable advocate through out the process is a huge asset. 

The birthing partner may worry that a doula will take over or push them aside during the birth. This should never be the case. We often will be the doula for the partner as well, making sure they are fed, caffeinated, and rested so they can be the best birth partner for the laboring person. We can also take some pressure off of the partner as the primary birth parter and help normalize the process. This can reduce anxiety for everyone involved. I describe a doula as a family member during the birthing process without all the family drama, hang-ups, and judgement. We can help produce from the sidelines.

Contact me here :)