A doula is someone who serves or gives care to women. There are 2 types of doulas - birth and postpartum doulas.
A good doula will support your beliefs and desires for your childbirth experience and assists you in many ways as the labor unfolds. Although we know the beginning and the end result of labor, each individual birth has its own plan and unfolds in its own way. A doula offers supportive advice and encouragement to the woman and her partner but, as a birthing professional, does not intrude on your labor experience. A doula is a birthing couple's advocate.
This guide will help you determine whether a doula is for you and offers advice on finding the best doula to help with your childbirth.
BIRTH DOULAS
A doula is commonly defined as an experienced labor and delivery companion who provides continuous physical, emotional and spiritual support to you and your partner. A doula's very presence has been shown to provide a birthing mother with confidence, encouragement, strength and determination during labor. Private birth doulas usually meet with a couple during the nine months of pregnancy to begin building a relationship with the couple, discuss the upcoming birth, and develop the birth plan.
This support from the doula before and during labor is invaluable for pain management and is achieved by performing massage, recommending positions that assist the progress of labor and through verbal encouragement as the labor progresses. A doula differs from a midwife in that she does not provide medical care during pregnancy and labor and does not deliver the baby. However, she may offer recommendations during pregnancy and throughout the postpartum period that allow you to make informed decisions about your care.
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