Birth Doulas
Birth doulas provide support to parent(s)-in-the-making throughout pregnancy and birth. A birth doula is not meant to replace a dad (or any other supporter) who wants to be involved in the birth, but works as part of a team to ensure that the mother feels safe, secure, loved, and nurtured during this precious time. Before the birth, a doula will help the mother/couple to prepare by going over the stages of labour, what to expect as labour progresses, and positions and comfort measures that can be used during labour. Once labour begins, the mother/couple would call the doula to come and join them either at their home or the hospital, where she would help to implement the (highly flexible) plan that they had developed together. Wherever possible, the doula would remain with the mother/couple until the baby/babies had been born, the first feeding had taken place, and the new family was settled in together for some well earned rest. Depending upon the preferences of the mother-in-the-making, birth doulas might use things like comforting touch, breathing with mom, verbal and non-verbal encouragement, suggesting new positions to try based on feedback from the mom and care providers, counter pressure, offering beverages or food (in keeping with the desires of the mother and her care providers), and being a consistent and reassuring presence that can be focused on this mother.
As a birth doula, I also offer support to dads and other support persons, working as a team drawing on one another's strengths, and allowing each one the freedom to experience the birth from their own perspective. It actually feels like a big part of what I do is to work to take the fear out of birth. This is done in part by decoding and demystifying the process of labour and birth, helping the mother/couple to understand the changes happening as labour progresses, being available to watch over everything and ensure that the mother's wishes are respected as much as possible, and equipping dads/support persons to know how to best support mom and read her cues (which tends to lower their anxiety when they feel like there is something they can do). I additionally offer to take pictures at the birth according to the desires of the mother/couple, with the permission of the care providers present. Mothers/couples will receive one copy of these photos on disc, unless other arrangements are more suitable to the needs of the family and discussed in one of our prenatal meetings.
Postpartum Doulas
Postpartum doulas provide support to parents-in-the-making after their baby is born, though they would meet during the pregnancy to discuss the desired care. Postpartum doulas offer education, information, companionship, and nonjudgmental support. They assist with newborn care, support family members in adjusting to their new roles, help with older children, prepare meals, and do laundry and light housework. They offer well researched information about infant feeding, sleeping, and soothing skills, the mother's emotional and physical recovery from birth, and appropriate referrals to other community resources. This role is often described as 'mothering the mother,' with this type of care typically provided over the first six weeks of a baby's life (though this too can be customized to meet the needs of the family and to match the doula's availability).