In addition to planning and preparing you before birth, a doula helps guide you in communication with your team of doctors, midwives and nurses. She is trained to support you physically and emotionally during your labor and birth, using soothing techniques to ease discomfort and promote safe progress. She will offer information about procedures and options available and, though medical practitioners will come and go as they tend to other patients, your doula never leaves your side. 

The ideal time to hire a doula is 5 to 6 months before your estimated due date, but it is never too late! My schedule can fill up-- and I can only take on so many births a month-- so the earlier the better!

Yes. Even in a surgical setting, a doula is there to explain what is happening and guide you through the process of a C-section. With the permission of the doctor or anesthesiologist, she can even accompany you into the operating room in most non-emergency cases. 

​

A doula is helpful and supportive of all births, whether or not the expectant mother plans on using pain medications. A doula offers information on all procedures and potential scenarios, including pain medication and possible side effects and interventions. She will discuss, support and empower you to advocate for your decisions and preferences. She appreciates that your plans may change and such choices as whether to use pain medication are individual to each expectant family.

I will be attending your birth, unless there is no communication on your side, or there was an emergency such a health related, weather or traffic problems that made it impossible to attend. I will however, try to make sure that a back up doula is present at your birth if I am not available.