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Birth Arts International Trained Doulas look at birth as a journey. On the road to birth women are taken from womanhood to motherhood. Women are transformed through birth, her birth, her experience. Honoring and preserving the birth experience is the role of a doula. Birth Arts doulas are trained in the Wise Woman tradition and herbalism. We believe it is an exceptional privilege to share in this unique journey. Birth Arts Doulas have a confident knowledge base, and support network of experienced Midwives. Birth Arts trained Doulas are trained in the physical, scientific and spiritual aspects of birth. |
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Birth Doula Service
What is My Role as a Doula?
 I assist women in labor to help ensure a safe and satisfying birth experience. I draw on my knowledge and experience to provide physical, emotional and informational support to women and partners. I am independent and self employed. As your Doula, I am working for you, not for your caregiver or the hospital.
My Availability:
I consider my on-call period for a birth to be from two weeks before a due date to two weeks after a due date. I generally will take a client if I plan to be in town and available for this “on-call” period. Limits of availability near your due date: I would list specific dates and times here and my back up Doula would attend…
I do have a cell phone and in general I can be reached at any time between now and your birth. Whether I am assisting other clients or involved with personal business, I try to check my voicemail no more then every two hours.
Prenatal Conference:
We will have a prenatal meeting to review your birth plan, and give us a chance to talk in detail about your preferences regarding your birth. I will ask about your knowledge of the birth process, and can provide information and education as needed. I will want to know your own personal ways of coping with pain and fatigue and difficult situations, and what internal resources we can draw upon to assist you with the birthing experience. I will want to know how you and your partner foresee working together, and the roles of others who may be attending the birth. We can discuss together what fears and concerns you have regarding the birth. We can review your preferences regarding the use of pain medication. My goal is to help you have a satisfying birth as you define it. The more we explore this in advance, the better I will be able to fulfill this role.
Late Pregnancy:
I am available for phone consultations and email questions in late pregnancy, and encourage clients to call with questions or updates. Once we enter the on-call period, I encourage clients to check in with me every few days to let me know how they are doing.
When Labor Begins:
We will discuss in prenatal meetings what you expect to want during labor, and will also evaluate by phone once your labor has begun, and you know more what your needs are. When you think labor has begun, call me and let me know so that I can begin making arrangements for attending the birth.
I will then plan to check in every few hours by phone, so I can provide information, ideas for comfort techniques, and reassurance. It is up to you to decide what point in your labor you want me to come and be with you. Once you make that choice, I will generally be there within 30 minutes to an hour, and remain with you until after the birth.
When you are in Labor:
Comfort techniques: I can offer help and advice with comfort measures such as guiding your breathing, enhancing relaxation, encouraging movement, suggesting effective positions for labor, therapeutic massage and bodywork, and aroma therapy. Advocacy: I can assist with gathering information about the progress of labor to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions about your birth. I can also serve as an advocate for your needs with the medical staff. Emotional support: Our most critical role is providing continuous emotional reassurance and comfort.
After Birth:
I expect to remain with a client for 1-2 hours after birth, until you are comfortable, and the family is ready for quiet time together. I can also help with initial breastfeeding.
I am available for phone contact to answer questions about the birth of your baby. My services include one postpartum visit, usually within two weeks of the birth. During the visit, I can provide breastfeeding support, baby care tips, referrals to community resources, and a chance to discuss the birth experience.
What Doulas do not do:
They do not perform clinical tasks, such as blood pressure, fetal heart checks, vaginal exams, etc. They are there to provide only physical and emotional support and advocacy.
They do not make decisions for you. They will help you get the information you need to make your own informed decisions. They will remind you if there is departure from your Birth Plan, and will verify if this is, in fact, your informed decision.
They will not speak to medical staff regarding medical matters where health care decisions are being made. They can discuss your concerns with you and suggest options. They can support you in discussions with staff as your advocate, making sure you have the opportunity to discuss concerns, but your partner will speak on your behalf to the medical staff.
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