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What is a Doula?
From the DONA website:
"The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who
serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced
professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and
informational support to the mother before, during and just after
birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the
postpartum period.
Studies have shown that when
doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications,
babies are healthier and they breastfeeding more easily.
A Birth Doula
- Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
- Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
- Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
- Stays with the woman throughout the labor
- Provides
emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective
viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs
to make informed decision
- Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
- Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience
- Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level"
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