“Doula: a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother and her partner before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”

The birth day of your baby is the birth day of a parent too. Every parent remembers that day for years and years to come.  In my personal experience, even though over a year has passed from the birth of my daughter and I have forgotten some of the details of our families shenanigans in the past few months, I remember the day I gave birth in every detail. The smells of the delivery room, the lighting, the thoughts, the sensations and the words inside and outside of my head. 

By having a Doula by your side, you increase the chances of having a positive and remarkable birth experience yourself.  An experience that is not necessarily directed by the way you gave birth but from the way you were treated and felt. Your doula is your most loyal cheerleader and advocate! Pregnancy, birth and postpartum is full of moments that parents need to trust their instincts and move towards decisions that have never taken before. In these times, every parent has the right to be informed and empowered to move toward those decisions. These stages of a family life are defining and can be incredibly positive in the way that impact parenthood, childhood and attachment. In this times, families need as much support and holistic care they can get.

As families do not take one form, births too can take different forms. You might choose to deliver your baby at home, at a hospital, at a birth centre, at your home country, or your host country, vaginally, through a C-section, unassisted, assisted, medicated or unmedicated…in any option, you deserve the best informational, emotional, practical and physical support so as to feel empowered and protected. In my opinion, an empowered birth, leads to an empowered parent and an empowered family.

My role, as a doula, is to create and nurture that space that will provide the pregnant/birthing woman, the partner and the rest of her family (if exists) with the safe environment to ask questions, research, receive information and support and take informed decisions that will make them feel empowered and conscious about their journey.

“A skilled doula empowers a woman to communicate her needs and perceptions and actualize her dream of a healthy, positive birth experience.”

Here is how we will work together!
As a doula, I will meet with you during pregnancy, first around midway the second trimester, to start working on your “homework” through online material and books, having a preliminary discussion on your birth preferences, and make sure that we write down and discuss all your fears, expectations, dreams, wishes and alternatives.

Then, towards the beginning of the third trimester, I will guide you through the process of understanding and also researching (evidence-based research) your birthing options, answering your questions, analysing the stages and the physiology of birth, assisting you in developing your birth plan, and writing down a protocol that will help you stick to your preferences during birth.
We will rehearse various birth positions and physical comfort measures we can collectively perform during labor.

During birth, I will be there no matter how long it takes to support you: emotionally with empathy, compassion and openness and provide your partner with confidence and knowledge to support you and engage in the experience of birth; physically through counter-pressure techniques, movement on the birthing/peanut balls, rebozo, acupressure, or just holding your hand through a contraction; and practically by proposing relevant movement or change of positions to encourage breathing and stimulate labour. At the same time, I serve as a communication facilitator between you, your partner and your medical team.

We will meet again (once or twice) in the immediate postpartum period to go through the birth experience, your memories, emotions, and get your feedback on the support I provided (if you want to). In collaboration with you and your partner, I will write down your birth story and send it over in the first two months postpartum. My responsibility will be to protect and nurture the memory of birth and your family’s beginnings!

What I will not be doing as your doula!
I will not be the one undertaking yours or your partner’s role as the protagonists of the story.  This is the beginning of your family and I am there to support you, not replacing you.  As a doula I want to contribute to a more central role for your partner, make him/her feel informed and capable to support you during pregnancy, birth and immediate postpartum.  I will not be engaging in any medical procedure, and will not be assisting the midwife or medical team in any way. But rest assure, I will not leave your side during birth (unless to use the toilet or have a quick snack)​.


How is birth affected when a doula is present?​

“Studies examining the impact of continuous support by doulas report significant reductions in cesarean births, instrumental vaginal births, need for oxytocin augmentation, and shortened durations of labor (Campbell, Lake, Falk, & Backstrand, 2006; Klaus & Klaus, 2010; Newton, Chaudhuri, Grossman, & Merewood, 2009; Papagni & Buckner, 2006; Sauls, 2002). Continuous support also has been associated with higher newborn Apgar scores (greater than 7) and overall higher satisfaction by mothers with the birthing process (Sauls, 2002). Others report that many of these effects occurred when support was provided by someone other than an attending nurse (Rosen, 2004; Sakala, Declercq, & Corry, 2002; Sauls, 2002).”

In detail, when a doula is present, apart from making the family feel protected and safe there are:

​50% less c- sections

25% shorter birth duration

60% fewer requests for an epidural

40% less use of pitocin / syntocinon - synthetic oxytocin (induction or 'speeding things up')

30% fewer requests for pain relief

Questions to ask a doula during interview:
What training does she have?
What internship has she completed?
What services does she provide (in detail)?
Is she available on your due date? And what about her back-up doula?
What made her decide to become a doula?
What is her philosophy regarding childbirth?
What is her experience with the Dutch maternity system? (if applicable)