What is My role as a doula?
A doula provides non medical, physical, emotional and educational support to parents as they navigate pregnancy and childbirth.
I offer physical support through body alignment assessments, tools given to optomize your posture and address any imbalances, so that your are working with your body, rather than against it, as you go through birth. I also use various counter pressure & massage techniques and make recommendations for position changes, as the need arises. You are the one giving birth! I am here to support you and offer guidance if you need it, but I'm not here to run the show. I also love giving suggestions to dads so they can give most of the hands-on support! I never want to step on dad's toes, making him feel like he doesn't have a place in the birth room. I am there to support both mom and dad, and to help dad know how to help mom!
I offer emotional and mental support through relaxation techniques, breathing exercises (not from a new age perspective, but from a physiological perspective).
Statistics show "that having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%." (American Pregnancy Association)