What is a Doula?

   A doula is a woman who assists during the labor process and accompanies a birthing mother to help ensure a safe and satisfying birth experience. The doula provides continuous uninterrupted emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor, and birth.  Some doulas also assist during the postpartum period. Doulas offers massage, sugggestions for position changes, relaxation techniques, as well as reminders to stay hydrated and keep the bladder empty. She also encourages and believes in a woman's ability to birth her baby.

   A doula does not replace the partner; instead she helps support the partner so that he or she can love and encourage the laboring woman.  Women have always looked to other women for support while giving birth, and throughout the ages, there have always been women that assisted a birthing mother to bring her child/children into the world.  This is a primal need and does not reflect on her relationship with her partner in any way.

 "For within our bodies and our wombs is the strength and capability to welcome into the world the babies that we nourish, love, caress and sing to in our womb during

 our pregnancies."

Why I decided to become a Doula:

   I have four beautiful children ranging in age of 19 to 4. I used natural birthing techiniques with the assistance of midwives for 3 of my 4 children. During my pregnancies and birthing, I recognized the lack of assistance for birthing mothers and decided to find out more information about birthing with assistance. My first birthing experience was horrific in the sense that it was so medical and sterile due to having a male OB/Gyn and a greater lack of concern for me as the mother and for the birthing experience as a whole.  Instead it was treated as just another procedure. I was extremely frightened and uninformed during the whole experience from pregnancy to birth. I felt as if I was completely left out of "my" birth experience. Then, when I found out that I was pregnant for the second time, I decided to take more of a natural approach and seek the care of a midwife group in Florida. The midwives tended to me individually and used their womanly approach and their own birthing experiences to their advantage.

Each and every step that was taken during my second pregnancy gave me a greater sense of attachment to the whole process of "my" birth experience that was imminent. The midwives taught me to take care of myself physically, mentally and spiritually, giving me the strength and knowledge to know that "my" body could and would birth my baby with little or no intervention. They taught me to pay attention to each and every sign and let my body do the work, not my mind. When the blessed event happened, I remembered each step that I had been taught and labored for the most part at home with ease. I sat in my rocking chair and spent time with my son, and, for the most part, was extremely calm. When the contractions became regular and about 3 - 5 minutes apart consistently, I decided to go to the birthing center. Upon arrival, I was checked in and had my exam and was already almost 8 centimeters dilated.  I got up and stood for the most part and was allowed to finish "my" birth experience with careful observations.  Within 30 minutes of arriving at the center, I was on the bed birthing "my" soon to be newborn.

   My midwives ( I had 3 that day) all attended me as if I was royalty, stood by my side and at my bottom, of course, and assisted me with "my" birth experience as they notified me that "I" could easily and with little or no pain, push my baby out. With three virtually painless pushes my beautiful daughter appeared in this world. My experience, my natural birth will stay with me forever and was the catalyst in helping me to decide that from that point forward I could birth any other children that I brought into this world in the same manner. It was also that experience that helped me to decide that I would help other women to do the same. For within our bodies and our wombs is the strength and capability to welcome into the world the babies that we nourish, love, caress and sing to in our womb during our pregnancies.