Why did I decided to become a doula?
My mother was a birth doula for many years and I grew up thinking birth would be a breeze if I ever got around to it.
When I became pregnant I was so excited that I felt prepared even without a doula on my birth team. I had midwives and doctors, mothers and sisters, dogs, cats and my husband but after hours of serious labor I whimpered for a doula.
When she arrived I felt a highly noticeable change. She helped with paperwork at the hospital, rubbed my feet when I couldn't feel my toes, gave me information on the spot and found time for my husband and I to make an informed decision before the hustle of the hospital took effect.
After my son was born I looked back on the labor and birth and to this day I feel the main reason I was able to keep my cool was her steady hand, helping me find my own feet.
I understand how all the preparations can fly out the window when all you need is a hand.
I have been working towards a DONA certification, have been trained by ICEA to teach and I plan to help many more families OWN their birth experiences.
What does a doula do?
A birth Doula recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life.
Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor
Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth
Understands the physiology of birth and emotional needs of a woman in labor.
Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint, and assistance to the woman in getting information she needs to make good decisions
Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner, and clinical care providers
Perceives her role as one who nurtures and protects the woman’s memory of her birth experience
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