What is Doula Care?
Doula care is the sacred service of women supporting women during childbirth. It is an ancient tradition that has been found across cultures throughout the world. In modern times, a woman providing labor support has become known as a doula.
The word "doula" comes from the Greek word for the most important female servant in an ancient Greek household; the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth" (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother).
A doula mothers the mother. She is present with a woman during the childbearing year, usually in labor and birth, but sometimes in the prenatal or postpartum period.
Most commonly, there are two types of doulas:
- Labor doula- labor, birth, and immediate postpartum
- Postpartum doula- the first 6 weeks after birth
I am introducing a third type of doula:
- High risk antepartum doula- the prenatal period for high risk pregnancies