A doula provides professional labor support.  They are also known as a birth coach, labor coach, or birth companion.  A doula nurtures and protects the mother’s memory of her birth experience, by providing unconditional and un-biased emotional, physical, and informational support to the mother and her partner during the pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum periods.  The doula does not take the place of the partner, she simply enhances the support the partner is able to provide.  The value of having a doula present at births is known worldwide and studies have found many benefits.

I am a DONA certified birth doula.  My role as a birth doula is to understand the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of the mother, partner and family. I believe that every woman has the right and innate ability to bring her baby into the world following her own set of guidelines and instincts. I will assist you in having the best possible birth experience, as you define it.  I will help you understand medical practices and procedures, benefits and risks of pain medications and interventions, so that you can make informed decisions.  I will also offer both you and your partner a tremendous amount of encouragement.  My goal is to help you achieve maximum self-determination and empowerment during your birth process.

I am currently providing only birth doula support, but I can assist you with finding postpartum doula support, as well as a lactation consultant or counselor for postpartum depression. 

If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it.
-- Dr. John H. Kennell