Nokomis Kwe Birth Services

What is a doula?

The word doula comes literally from the ancient greek word meaning woman's servant. ​

 

A doula is there to help provide emotional, informational, and physical support through the labour, delivery, and during the post-partum period. A doula is there to be an empowering voice for momma and her partner. She is also there to help educate and help parents-to-be have the best possible birth experience. 

 

A doula may take on many roles but she is primarily there to

• Recognize birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

• Understand the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

• Assist 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 help the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions

• Facilitate communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

• Perceive her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience

• Allow the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level