About Doulas

What is a doula?

The term "doula" is of Greek origin meaning "woman's servant". A doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides emotional, physical or informational support to a mother or couple during the birth of their baby. A doula is working for the mother and birth partner, not the healthcare providers. Although we work in congruence with doctors, midwives, and other healthcare practitioners we are working to preserve the mother's birth experience and support her in having the birth of her choice. A doula will work with the couple before the birth, during labour and birth and in the early postpartum period.

Before the birth, a doula will meet with the couple to discuss the mother's needs and values surrounding the birth, as well as review positioning and pain management techniques. The doula may also help write a birth plan if that is desired.

Once labour begins, the doula will meet you at either your home or the hospital, depending on your stage of labour or choice of birth place. Once there, the doula will provide the mother with positioning suggestions, coping techniques and other pain relief measures. They will be as hands on as you need them to be. Doulas also work with the birth partners, providing them with suggestions on how they can support the mother and be an active participant in the birth. The doula can also discuss interventions that may be suggested if the mother or partner are uncertain of their options or how to go about getting more information before committing.

Immediately following the birth, the doula can assist with the first latch for breastfeeding as well as tend to the mother and the partner. She can help in whatever capacity the couple needs, whether it be sitting quietly offering emotional support, or cleaning up the kitchen!

What doulas do NOT do

Doulas do not perform clinical tasks, such as blood pressure, vaginal exams, fetal heart monitor checks, etc. Doulas work from the waist up.

Doulas do not make decisions on behalf of the mother or partner. Doulas will assist with weighing the pros and cons if interventions are necessary or helping the couple find the right questions to ask the healthcare providers, but ultimately the decision rests with the couple.

What will my husband or birth partner do?

A doula does not replace a husband or birth partner; they work with them. They provide suggestions on how to support the mother, or allow them to be a bit more hands-off if they are feeling overwhelmed, since labour can be quite overwhelming at times for the people on the sidelines. The doula can also relieve the birth partner so they can eat or take a nap. A doula knows pregnancy, labour and birth, and the partner knows the mother — it's a perfect team ready and willing to do anything.

Why do I need a doula if I have a Midwife?

A doula and a Midwife can work beautifully together. Midwives arrive usually once labour has fully established and has been underway for quite some time. A doula will be available to the couple as soon as they feel they need support. Once the Midwife arrives she will need to focus on clinical tasks: fetal heart tones, mother's blood pressure, temperature, etc. She may not always be able to tend to the mother's contractions providing the emotional and physical support as intensly as she needs it. A doula is there for the mother and partner only. 100% of the doula's attention is making sure that the mother is as comfortable as possible and as centered as possible. Midwives do offer support however it is in a different capacity because of the responsibilities they have for the care of the mother and baby. When Midwives are focusing on clinical tasks, the doula will be focusing on the emotional well-being of the mother and partner. The Doula's one and only responsibility is to the mother and her partner. Doula's do not replace Midwives, but work with them as a team.