The doula provides emotional and physical comfort through helping to create a calm environment, offering reassurance in your progress, describing what you are feeling, assisting in water therapy (showers/tubs), assisting in birthing positions, teaching breathing and visualization techniques, bringing beverages, hot packs, ice, extra pillows and towels, helping with moving around, using the bathroom or changing.

During postpartum, a doula can help with healing measures, recount your birthing experience or release with you to help begin processing, breastfeeding & first latch, prep meals for the family or birthing person, take care of baby and or siblings so you can get rest or take a shower, go on grocery runs, offer massage etc.

The doula teaches the partner how to assist the laboring person in relaxation techniques, massage and muscle release techniques, inversions and other positions to help baby move into an optimal place. This can be taught in prenatals so the partner and laboring person can practice at home. A doula can help the laboring personʻs partner by helping them understand what the laboring person may be feeling and interpret the signs of labor. The doula can also help make sure the partners needs are met by relieving them so they can get a meal, take a nap or a break. This creates stability for the laboring person and their partner because they will be more awake and clear minded to give support in both birthing and postpartum phases.

A doula is trained to leave their biases at the door and provide you with well rounded- evidence based information and resources to address any questions you might have during any point before or after your birth or pregnancy release. The doula can explain medical procedures, interventions and options to help you make the best choice for you and your baby. This helps you be well prepared and informed when at doctors appointments as well as when creating a plan.

During the postpartum phase a doula can offer nutritional education so you know what types of foods will promote healing, breastfeeding education, newborn development education and what milestones. to look for.

A doula is consistently present with you during your birthing and/or postpartum process. Most doctors and nurses have multiple patients or may have not met you prior. Having a consistent person who knows you and is trained in understanding typically evolving labor processes, can help identify possible problems that might need to be further addressed. For example: A doula can provide basic lactation support during the postpartum phase, helping you understand normal versus abnormal sensations, know your feeding or pumping schedule and catch signs of infection.

By getting to know you and your partner before the birthing event, a doula can understand your priorities, fears, and concerns and help to address them and develop strategies for coping and achieving a more confident and prepared experience.

After the birthing experience or release, the doula, having worked with you prior or knowing your history, can personalize care to support the experience you had and better aid your healing.