WHAT DOES A DOULA DO??
Folks often wonder what exactly it is that we do as doulas. The goal overall is to make the experience sweeter, help you process what you are thinking and feeling in the moment, so you can make the right decisions for your family; insure that everyone on your team is nourished and rested and you all feel supported throughout your pregnancy and parenting journey. I've had a hard time capturing all that we actually do, so I drafted a list of items we often end up doing for clients. Here are few tangible tasks your doula might do for you:
Labor Normalizer Chapstick Fetcher Late Night Chit-Chatting Sounding Board Comfort Improvisor Pillow Adjuster Threshold Noting Movement Strategist Resource Sharing Voice Amplifier Pain Management Hair Tying, Hair Holding
Massager Fan Waver Partner Respite
Encouragement Space Holder Mama Hug Dispenser
Foot Rubbing Witness Spoon-Bite Serving
Rhythm Keeper Baby Whisperer Exercise Partner
Labor Sherpa Thought Keeping Extra dancing partner
Photo Documenter Mental Health Net Quote Jotting
Washcloth Dabbing External Processing Peer support
Gut truster Candle Lighter Snack Fixer Comedic relief Advocate Someone Who Hears You Tub Filler All Night Vigil Keeper Labor Spa Enthusiast
Confidence Booster Latch Coach Medical Lingo Translator Note Taker Extra Set of Hands Birth Story Listener
Mental Preparations Hip Squeezer Mood Setter
Leg Holder Breath Pacing Cheerleader Baby Cue Translator Sacral Releaser Friendly Known Face Cushion Fetching Footrest Labor Song Harmonizer
Contraction timer Comforting company Fresh Energy Anxiety Reducer Baby Caller Medical Systems Tour Guide Baby Spinner Hydration Advocate Stair Climbing Counter Extension of You Safety Net Independent Help; Working for You Early Labor Navigator Movement Motivator Birth Plan Drafting Lil voice on your shoulder validating your experience and unearthing your intuition
And still somehow, so much more!!! What did your doula do for you?