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What is a Doula?
The word comes from the ancient Greek word meaning woman who serves. Today a doula (DOO-lah) is a professionally trained woman who provides information, comfort and reassurance before, during and immediately following birth. A doula is there as both physical and emotional support for the birthing mother.
Women have attended birthing women for centuries spanning all cultures. It is only in modern times that we have begun to stray from this support with the medicalization of birth. Called by many names Labor Support Person (LSP), Childbirth Attendant, Birthing Companion or Doula, they all have the same role, to mother the mother.
A Doula
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Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life
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Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
- Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for 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, and objective viewpoints 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.
~DONA International~
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