Posted by: prairiedoula on: January 29, 2009
Welcome to PrairieDoula, web presence for Prairie Doula Services based in DeKalb and Sycamore, Illinois. Wander over to the About page or glance in the sidebar to read more about me and what I do.
For a while this blog will focus on answering questions about doulas and their role at births that were put to me by a group of friends a while ago. I hope the answers will help you in whatever way they can.
First Question: What the heck is a doula?
First Answer:
A doula is a professional labor assistant. Doulas are there to give one-on-one support to a woman during pregnancy, in labor and during birth. The support can range from suggestions about position changes that might offer pain relief, to providing massage, to providing information about procedures that might happen during labor, and tons more.
Doulas can work with the mother at home births, at birth centers, and at hospitals, and many laboring moms find a doula to be especially helpful in a hospital setting where one-on-one care is generally not possible from the nursing staff. Doulas are not medically trained and do not perform exams, provide medical advice, or take the place of a healthcare professional. Doulas give birthing women and their partners emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy and birth.
My goal as a doula is to help birthing women find the information they need to make the best decision for themselves, their baby, and their family, and then to fully support their decisions throughout their pregnancies. I value your choice in when and where and with whom you want to birth.
For more information about doula services in Northern Illinois, contact me: prairiedoula A.T gmail D.O.T com
