What Do You Do-ula?

empower. educate. serve.

Ever since I received my doula certification, I get asked all the time, “what is that?” or “what does a doula do?” For the longest I wasn’t sure how to respond. to be honest, I still ponder and take time before responding. At first, I would say a doula is a personal labor coach or birthing assistant. But that doesn’t seem to quite sum up all that we as birth workers do. I mean we do provide specialized, unique care for every client we serve but that term is so vague and can be interpreted in so many different ways.

It could mean  that I simply stand by your side during labor or maybe I provide a travel diffuser to get rid of hospital smells and come armed with a rebozo, racquetballs, massage wands and comfort measures out the wazoo. While this spectrum could be all encompassing or not, it is missing one very vital difference that the presence of a doula makes in every birth, informed consent.

As a doula, I come equipped with a wealth of knowledge on specific medical procedures that may be utilized throughout your pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. I come armed with the what the procedure is, why it is performed, the benefits and the risks of undergoing said procedures and any complications they may cause.

As a doula, I come prepared to provide you with details concerning the various stages of pregnancy and childbirth; informing you of the different holistic stages of birth, how they may look and feel for you, what are some things to pay attention to and utliize to progress you through a particular stage and empower you with the knowledge that you are more than capable of pushing through each stage to ultimately have your baby in your arms.

As a doula, I hold space for you.  I empower you with a birth plan created by you and do everything in my empower to create the birthing experience you developed and planned for, I ensure that each and every decision made surrounding your birth is one powered by your all informed knowing; fully taking responsibility for that decision. not allowing someone else to make decisions for you, including myself.

As a doula, I empower women to take back their autonomy and hold the space for them to make informed decisions about their labor, birth and postpartum all the while realizing and discovering the innate wisdom and abilities they hold to deliver their babies.

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