Doulas Make Pregnancy The Woman's Own Experience

1. Doulas Make Pregnancy The Woman's Own Experience By Virginia_Fleischman

2. Women had for centuries had helpmates to assist them during their labors and/or pregnancies. Generally it was their mother/mother-in-law, a sister, an aunt or local neighborhood elder or lay midwife. With the advance in medical interventions, it seemed that childbirth become more a medical enclave than a celebration of family and friends as it was in the past. Those who had previously been the major contributors to the prenatal, labor and post natal care were relegated to be more witnesses than active participants.

3. Today's health consumers including pregnant women and their spouses/partners are now demanding more as to what the birth experience can be and will be. Integral to this is the doula who as noted above is the woman's servant. She is a non medical person who assists the laboring woman physically, emotionally and mentally. She is an enabler as she does not make decisions for her client nor does she speak for her but she does provide education/information and encourages her to speak up for herself.

4. Thus, the doula does help the mother. She also helps the dad/partner as she can relieve him when he is tired and encourage him when he is tired. She can do this for any participating family member. And her assist and calm reassurance to all can create a more calm birth experience which can be an added assist to the medical staff.