What is a Doula?

Merriam-Webster defines the term "doula" to mean a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth. Doula dates all the way back to early Greek times.

What is the Role of a Postpartum Doula?

The primary role of a postpartum doula is to allow the mother to recover both physically, mentally, and most importantly - emotionally from the actual birth of the newborn. The role of the postpartum doula has evolved through the years. Originally, families sought postpartum doulas to alleviate the day-to-day tasks that a mother traditional plays in the family. These takes generally included household care, help with childcare, meal preparation, and errand running.

Today, postpartum doulas play more of a strategic role in the quality of life for first time parents. Postpartum doulas are a valuable source of evidence-based information to assist the family to properly meet the needs of the newborn and the mother. The in-home support provided for the entire family has been clinically shown to be the leading cause of mitigating stress associated with child birth. With about 10% of mothers in the United States diagnosed annually with this postpartum depression and another 70-80% of mothers displaying some sort of sign of "baby blues",  the demand for qualified and trained doulas is at an all-time high.