From Doulas of North America:
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
For each individual woman, needs may be different. For some, physical comfort is the top priority. For others, emotional care is most needed. Others need to feel that their partner will be able to enjoy the birth without feeling pressured to do everything.
When you are interviewing a doula, take some time to think about prior times when you have been in labor, ill, or in some other difficult situation. There is a good chance that the kind of care you needed then may be similar. Some women love to be held or touched when they are hurting; others just want companionship or to have questions answered.
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