Gourt > Health > Professions > Doula (37)
A doula is a non-medical assistant in prenatal care, childbirth and during the postpartum period.
Etymology and history of usage
The word doula comes from Greek, and refers to a woman who personally serves another woman. In Greece, the word has some negative connotations, denoting "slave" or "servant of God," as some doulas have inadvertently discovered through their international social networks. For this reason, some women performing professional labor support choose to call themselves labor assistants. Anthropologist Dana Raphael first used this term to refer to experienced mothers who assisted new mothers in breastfeeding and newborn care in the Philippines. Thus the term arose initially with reference to the postpartum context, and is still used in that domain. Medical researchers Marshall Klaus and John Kennell, who conducted the first of several randomized clinical trials on the medical outcomes of doula attended births, adopted the term to refer to labor support as well as prenatal and postpartum support.
Types of doulas
Labor support doulas are trained and experienced labor support persons who attend to the emotional and physical comfort needs of laboring women to smooth the labor process. They do not perform clinical tasks such as heart rate checks, or vaginal exams but rather use massage, aromatherapy, positioning suggestions, etc., to help labor progress as well as possible. A labor support doula joins a laboring woman either at her home or in hospital or birth center and remains with her until a few hours after the birth. In addition to emotional support, doulas work as advocates of their client’s wishes and may assist in communicating with medical staff to obtain information for the client to make informed decisions regarding medical procedures. More on [ Doula ]
"Should I have a doula at my birth?" Questions answered by Kindred Spirit Doula Service's doula, Nikki Imes. http://bit.ly/7mB7R6
doulasurround (Kelly Kravitz) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:06:30 -0000
"Should I have a doula at my birth?" Questions answered by Kindred Spirit Doula Service's doula, Nikki Imes. http://bit.ly/7mB7R6
Should I have a doula at my birth? - http://tinyurl.com/y8b5un4
doulasurround (Kelly Kravitz) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:04:59 -0000
Should I have a doula at my birth? - http://tinyurl.com/y8b5un4
is answering 'Ask A Doula' today, message me! Please Note: There will be no ask a doula in January and February! http://bit.ly/7jd18Z
doula_eileen (Eileen Roberts) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:40:20 -0000
is answering 'Ask A Doula' today, message me! Please Note: There will be no ask a doula in January and February! http://bit.ly/7jd18Z
@TheBusyBabyMama I've been a doula about 20 years.
RobinPregnancy (Robin Elise Weiss) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:40:29 -0000
@TheBusyBabyMama I've been a doula about 20 years.
An Experienced Doulaâs Tips for a Holistic Pregnancy and Birth: Andrea Crossman, founder of Holistic Doula NYC, ... http://bit.ly/850ytB
marykaymanfeed (Tony Hurst) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:15:18 -0000
An Experienced Doula’s Tips for a Holistic Pregnancy and Birth: Andrea Crossman, founder of Holistic Doula NYC, ... http://bit.ly/850ytB
#jobs #sittercity sitter/doula (San Francisco, CA) http://bit.ly/6bqwdO
SCSanFrancisco (Sittercity Jobs) Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:17:42 -0000
#jobs #sittercity sitter/doula (San Francisco, CA) http://bit.ly/6bqwdO
About.com Pregnancy and Birth Stories - Contains stories about doula births.
Meta Description: [ Doula Birth Stories from around the world. ]
Arizona Doulas Organization and Birth Education Association - Offers information on doula services, workshops, referrals to Arizona childbirth professionals.
Meta Description: [ Arizona Doulas Organization and Birth Education ]
Becoming a Doula - Motherstuff - Information on steps to becoming a doula.
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Birth Counseling Skills - Program for birth professionals who wish to learn more communication and counseling skills specific to birth. correspondence program via workshops. Includes class schedule, FAQ, and doula service information. Victoria, British Columbia.
Birth in Hungary - Everything about birth and the fight between the doulas of Hungary and the Hungarian government for the right of giving birth at home.
Birthing Options Childbirth Education and Services, LLC - BOCES is a Christian training and certifying organization. We present workshops to equip ladies desiring to serve expectant and new mothers and their families as doulas, monitrices, and childbirth educators.
Meta Description: [ This web site is maintained to connect families in the childbearing year with potential caregivers and educators. Renata Hillman, Traditional Christian Midwife has serve expectant families and those that serve them since 1981. ]
Cascade Christian Childbirth Association - Site provides information about Christian birth and referral source for doulas.
Childbirth Solutions - A site designed to educate and inform women about choices in childbirth. Search for a Doula on this site.
Doula Network - Search for doulas by city or state.
Meta Description: [ Doula information - trained labor and birth support - for expectant parents preparing for birth during pregnancy. ]
Doula World - Searchable, interactive directory that lists doulas, midwives, lactation consultants and childbirth educators throughout the United States.
Doulas of North America - Explains the role of the doula, doula training and certification. Includes directory, board of directors and list of regional representatives, and conference information.
Meta Description: [ DONA International is the oldest, largest and most respected doula association in the world. Our founders are among the foremost experts on doula care, and DONA International certification is a widely respected measure of quality and professionalism. We are an international, non-profit organizati... ]
DoYouDoula.com - Informational site by Rachel Gurevich.
Green Mountain Doula Guild - Serving Vermont, northwestern Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, the Guild was formed to provide support to doulas, labor assistants and monitrices. Offering doula listings, advertising and education and professional services as well as referrals for massage therapists, midwives, childbirth educators and lactation consultants.
Meta Description: [ Offering Listing services for Doualas, ChildBirth Educators and Doula Services for the World! The most complete list on the web.. ]
Hula Doula - Weblog of a woman working towards becoming a doula.
Long Island Association of Labor and Postpartum Doulas - Organization founded to provide support and educational opportunities for Long Island doulas. Seeks to expand awareness in the general and healthcare community about the positive benefits doulas bring to birth.
Meta Description: [ Organization founded to provide support and educational opportunities for Long Island doulas. Long Island Doula Association is a multifaceted organization providing support to women in the early stages of motherhood, from conception through postpartum. ]
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National Association of Postpartum Care - Information on what it take to become a doula. Information on finding a doula. Information on doula training and doula certification.
Northeastern Illinois Doula Association - Formed for local support to area doulas.
Pacific Association for Labor Support (PALS) - A membership organization that supports, develops and promotes doulas in the Puget Sound, Washington area. Providing free referrals to certified labor doulas and committed to finding a doula for every woman who wants one, regardless of ability to pay.
Pikes Peak Regional Doula Association - If you are looking for a birth or postpartum doula in the Colorado Springs area, we have the information and resources to help you make the best choice for your situation.
Meta Description: [ The Pikes Peak Regional Doula Association provides information about labor and birth doulas and postpartum doulas for women and their families. We cover the Colorado Springs area and many surrounding communtiies. ]
The Utah Doula Association (UDA) - Provides referrals for parents hiring a birth or postpartum doula. They also offer professional support for doulas and aspiring doulas.
What is a Doula? - Offers a definition of what a doula is.
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