What is the scope of a Birth Doula?
As a doula and labor companion, my role is to help you achieve a positive and satisfying birth experience by providing emotional support, physical comfort, information, and guidance in informed consent during your pregnancy, labor, and early postpartum period.
Limitations: I am not a medical service or care provider. The scope of a doula DOES NOT include the following:
Performing clinical tasks or any medical procedures, such as blood pressure checks, listening to fetal heart tones, vaginal/cervical exams, or any other procedure that falls under the legal definition of practicing medicine.
“Catching” a baby, even in an emergency situation outside of a hospital or birth center.
Diagnosing a problem or assessing the health of a client, fetus, or baby, nor giving advice pertaining to any medical issue that may arise, including giving information concerning medications or prescriptions.
Making decisions on behalf of a client or speaking for a client to a medical provider.
Services: I am available to provide non-medical support of many kinds. The scope of a doula includes the following:
Sharing general information about pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, including guidance on informed consent, as well as community referrals when necessary.
Assistance in helping the client formulate a birth plan.
Offering emotional comfort, through active listening, providing affirmation, answering questions, giving feedback, verbal imagery, encouragement, and helping the client feel understood, heard, and empowered.
Providing physical support during active labor, including comfort touch and counter-pressure, and use of my rebozo and TENS machine. Plus, giving suggestions for various positions and movements.
Reminding the client and partner of the birth plan and helping them stay focused on their goals, as well as supporting them through any decision-making or decision-changing.
Helping to set the tone that the client desires for the birth area and holding that space from distractions or negativity.
Guiding the client’s partner (if applicable) to feel included and participatory, both emotionally and physically, in the labor and birth process.
Offering to document portions of the labor and birth, through simple electronic notes, updates to family members, and/or photographs/videos, if desired by the client, as time and space permits. Plus, guidance in later processing their birth story/experience.
Facilitating bonding, skin-to-skin, and breastfeeding, if desired, after the baby is born and helping the family feel supported during the immediate postpartum period.