The Greek word ‘doula’ means servant. We now use that word to describe two kinds of doulas: A Birth Doula and a Postpartum Doula. A postpartum doula provides care to a family with a newborn baby usually at home, after the birth. Their duties may include breastfeeding instruction and help, cooking meals, doing laundry, recognizing problems the mother or baby may be having, helping the family adjust in whatever ways they can.

A birth doula tends to a mother in labor. The goal for every birth doula is to help each laboring mother have a positive birthing experience. The way we go about that is to educate them about their options, encourage them during labor, help with suggestions of comfort measures, and by being there with them.

DONA International (A doula training organization) defines a birth doula this way: “A trained and experienced labor companion who provides the woman and her husband or partner continuous emotional support, physical comfort and assistance in obtaining information before, during and just after childbirth.”

Angie Barkwill and I are available for doula work in this area. Angie is certified through DONA International, and I have been a doula for almost five years now, mostly for friends and family, but have decided to go ahead with certification and am in that process now. We take turns teaching the Natural Childbirth classes at Hancock Regional Hospital. Both Angie and I can be hired independently, as is with most doulas, although some hospitals offer doulas as part of their paid staff. We also offer our services to teen moms at no charge.

In our educating process for our doula clients, we do encourage a drug-free delivery, but that choice is up to the birthing mother and we will support her in any choice she may make. In our studies and in our experiences, we have learned that there are times during labor that a women feels unable to go on. Sometimes she just needs a change in what she is doing as well as some encouragement from those around her. Sometimes she just needs to get thru the next couple of contractions to find her strength again. We are there to do just that. On occasion, a woman may say she wants an epidural. We support her in that decision as well. We are to help a woman identify her options, not tell her which options to choose.

When we say ‘comfort measures’ we usually refer to position changes, breathing techniques, relaxation methods, and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures such as massage or visualization.

Following the birth, at a postpartum visit, we help them re-call their birthing experience which most women have no trouble doing for the rest of their lives!

If you have questions, you can contact me at 317-442-5558 or Angie at 317-654-0628.