Watch Women Give Birth With Confidence!

We are just one generation away from the days when a girl grew up on a farm watching the sheep and pigs give birth. Anyone who saw that year after year knew that giving birth was a natural process, a process that could be trusted.

                                                                                   —Ina May Gaskin

The Purpose and Value of Labor Support

Research has noted that women attended by a labor support doula, a woman experienced in childbirth, have shorter labors, fewer labor complications, and fewer problems with newborns. It is thought these benefits accrue because mothers attended by doulas produce lower levels of stress hormones than women left alone in labor or attended by inexperienced coaches. (Kayne MA, Greulich MB, Albers LL., 2001)

A laboring mother attended by a doula will never be left alone. Furthermore, the doula supports not only the mother but offers the partners freedom to participate at their own level of comfort. A doula supports the family in all decisions and does not impose her personal feelings or preferences on them.

A doula draws from her knowledge and experience to best help the mother achieve her own individual desires, allowing the mother to find her own voice in the decision making of her child's birth. Providing massage, suggestions of position change, aromatherapy, counter pressure, etc. a doula can help eliminate the need for medical interventions, inviting the mother to trust her body's natural instincts. A doula provides reassurance to couples inexperienced in birth, allowing them to believe in the natural process of childbirth and parenthood.  

As your doula I offer a prenatal visit where your birth plan is discussed, as well as any concerns or fears you or your partner may have. As your doula and childbirth educator I can inform you of types of interventions that often happen at birth and in a nonjudgmental way point you to resources regarding your rights as a laboring woman as well as birth choices. As your doula I am available by telephone 24-hours a day, and am on call during the two weeks on either side of your due date. I offer continuous emotional, physical, and spiritual support throughout labor and birth. I will help the laboring mother recognize when medical professionals want to introduce an intervention that differs from the birth plan. When appropriate, I will provide information about alternatives that the mother may consider instead. I will remain with the postpartum couple 1-2 hours after the birth of the baby. I will help initiate breastfeeding if necessary and am always happy to take pictures of the new family. Postpartum couples are also always welcome to call me with questions about the birth of their baby. If questions are beyond my realm of knowledge, I will do my best to refer you to a more suitable source. I will visit the postpartum couples within a couple of weeks following the birth to see how parents and baby are doing, and review the birth experience. My goal as a labor support doula is to help mothers make informed decisions about their healthcare and support them in those choices. I serve women and their loved ones birthing in Philadelphia and some parts of New York City at home, birthing centers or in a hospital settings.