Who is a doula?
A doula is a trained birth companion who: Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor Assists the woman and her partner in preparing or and carrying out their plans for the birth Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make informed decisions Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and clinical careproviders Nutures and protects the woman’s memory of her birth experience
