A doula provides:
- physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth
- help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, massage and positioning
- assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options
- continuous emotional reassurance and comfort
- non-medical skills such as massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures
- assistance to partners who want to play an active support role
- help so the women has a safe and satisfying childbirth as the women defines it
DONA International
- Is the largest, premier doula association in the world
- Indicates to families that a doula has achieved a high level of training and professionalism
- Supports doulas by providing quality training and meaningful certification
- Serves mothers and families by providing access to information and research about doulas, childbirth and the postpartum experience
A Doula is a labor support person who:
- Assists the woman & her support person in preparing for and implementing their plans for birth
- Recognizes birth as a key life experience, that the parents will always remember
- Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of women in labor
- Stays by the side of the woman throughout labor and delivery, providing practical comfort measures
- Provides emotional support, objective viewpoints and information to aid decision-making
- Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her husband, and healthcare providers
