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A doula provides:

•   Physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth.



• Help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning.



• Assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options.



• Continuous emotional reassurance and comfort.



• Non-medical skills such as massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures.



• Assistance to partners who want to play an active support role



• Help so the woman has a safe and satisfying childbirth as the woman defines it.

Where can I find a doula?
Places you can try to find a doula: organizations dealing with childbirth, your birth place (hospital or birth center), your childbirth educator, your care provider, lactation consultants, La Leche members, anyone who has recently had a baby or works in the field.

Doulas of North America
website: Doulas of North America
phone: 1-206-324-5440 to find members in your area.
e-mail: referrals@dona.com
address: 1100-23rd Avenue East   Seattle, WA 98112

• What training have you had?



• Tell me (us) about your experience with birth, personally and as a doula.



• What is your philosophy about childbirth and supporting women and their partners through labor?



• May we meet to discuss our birth plans and the role you will play in supporting me (us) through childbirth?



• May we call you with questions or concerns before and after the birth?



• What care providers have you worked with? In what hospitals have you attended births?



• When do you try to join women in labor? Do you come to our home or meet us at the hospital?



• Do you meet with me (us) after the birth to review the labor and answer questions?



• Do you work with one or more backup doulas for times when you are not available? May we meet them?



• What is your fee? Is any part of your fee refundable if you do not make the birth?



• Can you provide references? (Be sure to check the references.)

When you meet the doula (and it is a good idea for both you and your partner to meet her), pay particular attention to your personal perceptions of the doula.

Is she kind, warm and enthusiastic? Is she knowledgeable? Does she communicate well? Is she a good listener? Is she comfortable with your choices or does she seem to have her own agenda?

Do you feel comfortable with her? You may want to interview more than one doula so as to make a comparison of just which doula is the right one for your situation.

Copyright © 1999 by DONA.com
All rights reserved.
Last Updated: January 10, 1999
Used with permission