| Childbirth is a key life experience the mother will
remember all of her life. It's not simply an event to be "gotten
through" or endured, but one to be held sacred and special.
Regardless of the specific outcome, when a woman receives the support she
needs during birth, she is given the opportunity to experience her birth as
empowering and satisfying. The professional Doula aims to provided that
support. The word "Doula" is a Greek word, once used to refer to
the most favored woman servant within a household; the one who primarily cared
for the needs of the woman of the house. Today we use this word to refer
to a woman who is trained to support other women through pregnancy, birth, and
the postpartum period.
The Doula understands the need couples have to share alone
time during their labor, and respects the importance of the father's
participation in the birth process. She does not interfere with his role;
only serving to enhance his capacity to be helpful to his partner through
providing him, with reassurance, information and encouragement. One prior
client commented, "my partner was my right hand, and my Doula was my
left." As the Doula attentively nurtures, or "mothers" the
mother, a special bond is formed, creating a tender and warm birth
environment. As the mother feels completely supported, she is more able to
relax and cope with the challenges of labor.
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