A doula usually provides: - emotional support and encouragement
- massage, aromatherapy and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures
- positioning suggestions during labor and birth
- support for the partner(s) so that they can support and encourage the laboring woman
- assistance with breastfeeding beginnings
- a written and/or photographic record of the birth
- many other possibilities that vary from doula to doula
Although my assistants and I are all doula's and have knowledge and expertise in providing support for the mother in labor, our primary goal is assisting you to have a safe and satisfying birth. If labor is moving fast, our main activity may be preparing our equipment, examining you or checking on baby rather than rubbing your back or talking you through each contraction. In most cases, we have no trouble wearing several hats and our services come together rather seamlessly. However, if you want a professional who is completely focused on you and your needs rather than on the whole picture, you should consider hiring a doula.
A Doula is not a Midwife, nor is she a Birth Assistant. While the Midwife (or Physician) is more focused on the process and safety of birth, the doula is totally focused on the mother. The Childbirth Assistant (or hospital Nurse) is there to assist the Midwife/Physician, and the Doula is there to provide support and assistance to the Mother. Midwives and their Assistants, Physicians and Nurses may have more than one laboring woman at one time, Doulas focus on one woman for the complete labor and immediate postpartum period. Doula's can be helpful at hospital births, since you are often given information in what seems like a foreign language and the doula can help you interpret what the physicians and nurses are telling you.
Doula's may advertise as Labor Support Services. You may see information about Postpartum Doulas as well. Doula's may advertise as "Maternity Concierge Services." They vary widely in the services they offer, including personal care,labor and postpartum assistance, shopping, errands, breastfeeding assistance, and other services.
For more information about Birth and Postpartum Doulas, go to:
www.daintydoula.com Erin Schmidt is a certified hypnobirthing instructor and also offers her services as a labor doula. She also attends homebirths as my assistant. She has had three unmedicated, noninterventive, joyful births and truly knows how to help you achieve the same goal. See more about Erin on her website or the hypnobirthing page. (see picture at top of page)
Doula and Birth Assistant, Gloria Garcia
Gloria Garcia Gloria Garcia was trained as a labor assistant/doula by a group of midwives including Ina May Gaskin at "the Farm." She has worked as Fran's birth assistant for about 10 years and also assisted at births at Columbia Birth Center with Cynthia Flynn. Fran assisted with three of her five births. She can be contacted through Wild Rose Women's Clinic or at gaglor1@aol.com. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Doula and Birthing Instructor, Kristina French
www.threeriversbirth.com Kristina
French is a local doula who trained with Penny Simkin, an
internationally known birth guru from Seattle. The classes were
taught at the Seattle Midwifery School. She has recently added childbirth education to her services. She may also show up at homebirths as my assistant. See more about Kristina on her
website.
MidColumbia Birth Network www.midcolumbiabirthnetwork.org/ also has several doula's listed. You should interview more than one, especially if you don't completely "click" with the first person you speak to.
www.pals-doulas.org/ This site has a list of questions to ask a prospectve doula.
www.dona.org/
