What's a doula anyway?

My life is continuously flooded with this question! In a nutshell this is what a doula is:

There are two separate paths of being a doula. One is providing services as labor support and the other provides services to a family during the post partum period. Both concentrate primarily on mothering the mother.

Doula's are trained and experienced in childbirth. The doula's role is to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor, birth and often beyond. As a doula I offer advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning. I also assists families in gathering information and encourage you to investigate all of your options.

As a doula I specialize in non-medical skills and do not perform clinical tasks, such as vaginal exams or fetal heart rate monitoring. Doulas do not diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, or give medical advice. Most importantly, doulas do not make decisions for their clients; they do not project their own values and goals onto the laboring woman. The doula's goal is to help the woman have a safe and satisfying childbirth as the woman and her family defines it.

As a post partum doula I support families during the transition into parenthood. I focus on the needs of the new mother as well as the newborn. I often nurture the mother by offering practical assistance as well as emotional support, enabling her to recover faster and feel more confident in meeting the challenges a new baby brings. Post partum doula's are often seen as mentors who answer your questions and provide much needed assurance in a gentle, non-judgmental way, allowing families to develop their own unique parenting style.