Your Questions Answered

Whether this is your family’s first baby or your ninth, in my role as Doula, I can help make the birth and postpartum experience better. Today, a doula is defined as follows: 

 A trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.

From the beginning of creation, women have been cared for and nurtured as they become mothers. Family, friends and neighbors from the community gather around the new family to help guide them through their tender early weeks and months with a new baby.

Doulas nurture, support and offer expert guidance for families during their pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum time. There is incredible evidence that shows how birth Doulas improve outcomes!

A Cochrane Database Systematic Review, published in 2017, says “Continuous support in labor may improve a number of outcomes for both mother and baby, and no adverse outcomes have been identified. Continuous support from a person who is present solely to provide support, is not a member of the woman’s own network, is experienced in providing labor support, and has at least a modest amount of training (such as a doula), appears beneficial.”

Find out what the American Pregnancy Association says about Doulas here https://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/having-a-doula-616

 Physical Support

Position ideas for comfort and labor progression cross over with hands-on comfort measures like comforting touch, counter pressure, breathing techniques and other “doula magic” for families. A doula’s skilled hands and positioning tools can often help a malpositioned baby find its way through the pelvis and into the birthing parent’s arms.

Emotional Support

Doulas help families to feel supported, easing the emotional experience of birth and also helping to create a space where the hormones of labor can work at their best. Whether a birth is completely unmedicated or medically very complex, every family can benefit from nurturing and connection at this tender, incredible time in their lives.

Partner Support

Whether it’s a romantic partner, a friend or another family member like the baby’s grandma, the birth partner’s experience matters in birth. Our doulas are there to support every birth partner in being as involved as they’d like with the birth. Physical and emotional support make a huge difference for everyone involved.

Evidence-Based Information and Advocacy

DONA International doulas are trained to help families connect with evidence-based resources so they can ask great questions and make informed decisions about their births. Our doulas serve as a bridge of communication between women and their providers, lifting them up to help them find their voices and advocate for the very best care.

More and more providers are now recognizing Doulas as a valuable resource for their clients. You will need to check with your carrier if you can reclaim your investment through your HSA or FSA.

After our initial phone conversation, I like to schedule a 2--30 minute face-to-face meeting, so we have some time to get to know each other and see if we might be a good fit. It's very informal, I like to meet somewhere mutually convenient, like a cafe or restaurant.    Based on your package we will have between 1 and 3 prenatal meetings, where we will discuss any pertinent history, your desires for your ultimate birth, and maybe practice relaxation and distraction techniques. During the pregnancy you would usually contact me after you have your regular OB appointments, giving a little update on the progress of you and baby. Feel free to email, text, or call me with any questions you have as the pregnancy progresses.  As soon as you think you are in labor, and after you have contacted your care provider, you will call me and we can discuss how you feel about going to your chosen birth venue, things you can do at home, and I can answer any questions that you have at that time. You will then advise me when you would like me to join you. I will remain with you till approximately 1 hour after birth.  I will then come and visit your newly expanded family, within the first 6 weeks at home, where I can check in on you and baby, answer any questions you have, discuss the birth experience, and have you evaluate my performance.  You will have email, phone, and text support until 3 weeks postpartum.  Optionally, you can choose to have an extra 4 hours of postpartum care in your home, have 24-hour email, phone, and text support up to 12 weeks postpartum, and the option of adding a 5-week course** of Infant Massage Instruction*.     

 *Please contact me to discuss Infant Massage. Certifying through world-renowned 'International Association of Infant Massage' to gain US accreditation of Certified Educator of Infant Massage. ** 5 Week s of 50 minute educational instruction, whilst practicing on your 0-12 months old infant.  

 All families benefit with a birth Doula on their team! 

DONA International is the world’s first, largest and leading doula certifying organization. When our founders created DONA in 1992, they professionalized the role of the doula. Since then, we have certified more than 12,000 DONA International doulas in more than 50 countries!

 DONA International’s primary function is to provide excellent doula education and certification to a diverse population of doulas world-wide. DONA International promotes the highest quality perinatal support for birthing mothers and their families by setting the standard for doula education and training, and by advocating the research-based benefits of doula care. 

 They are a nonprofit organization, which means that DONA International works only to serve their doulas and members and to carry out their mission. Their organization exists to support doulas professionally and advance their vision of a doula for every person who wants one. This nonprofit model is important to us, and our members tell us it’s important to them too. 

The mission of DONA International is to promote high quality birth and postpartum support by setting the standard for the doula profession through evidence-based training and certification for doulas of diverse backgrounds.

 A doula for every person who wants one. 

For a 'How to Hire a Doula' printable click the button below. This will redirect you to DONA's website. Information from this page has been sourced at DONA and is their work.