The word, doula, comes from the Greek word for the most important female servant in the ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to “a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous support to the mother before, durning and just after childbirth.”

Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother

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

(Taken from www.dona.org/mothers)

PLEASE NOTE: All information expressed on nine months and beyond.com and the prenatal sessions, and/or consultations between the birth doula and client(s) is to be used for informational and educational purposes only. It is not providing medical advice. No responsibility will be assumed for the outcomes of each birth attended.