What is a Doula?
A Doula is someone who has trained to be a birthing assistant, usually a woman. They provides emotional, physical and sometimes spiritual support to the laboring mother.
An experienced doula who provides continuous emotional support and assistance before, during, and after birth. Doulas have been shown to shorten first-time births. Studies have revealed that support in labor has profound benefits including shorter labor, less desire for pain medication, lower rate of Caesarian delivery, and more ease in initiation of breast feeding. Fathers reported that they were more relaxed with a Doula present, because they felt reassured and therefore freer to support their mates.
A doula is a non-medical assistant in prenatal care, childbirth and during the postpartum period. Nature’s Child is proud to present some of the many hundreds of doulas to you. There are so many doulas that we do not know them all! So please note that no responsibility can be accepted for any inaccuracies or misrepresentations found in these listings. Should you engage a doula listed here, you accept full responsibility for this choice. You should always meet and interview a potential doula to find the right match for you and your partner!
 Marie Gentile-Andrit
Melbourne Metro, Victoria
birthwhispers@bigpond.com
www.birthwhispers.com.au
0406491538
I am honored to be with and support all of the women, partners and families who call upon me throughout their pregnancy and birthing journey. I have an openness and willingness to embrace every woman in her role as a ‘birthing’ woman and to contribute to her strength and confidence as she makes her sacred passage into motherhood. My experience includes hospital birth, homebirth, birth centre, caesarean birth, inductions and multiple births. I have thoroughly enjoyed breastfeeding my own babies and am able to offer knowledgeable support and encouragement to women experiencing difficulties, especially in the early days.
 Rachel Ford – ACT
www.birthinharmony.com.au
rachel@birthinharmony.com.au
PH: 0417 699 429
Have a gentle, nurturing, joyful birth – in harmony with nature, your body and your baby. I believe all women have innate wisdom and strength for birthing their babies beautifully, in exactly the right way for them, given the space and support to find those inner resources. I am passionate about helping women and families embrace their birth and parenting experience with knowledge, confidence, wonder and joy. I am an experienced Doula and have been honoured to support a wide variety of births at home and hospital. I also offer photography and blessingways. Please visit my website for further information.
A doula is an experienced childbirth support partner who is there to give a couple unbiased information as well as physical and emotional support before, during and after labour and birth.
Studies have shown* that women who have the support of a doula have shorter labours, half the chance of a caesarean and less intervention during the births of their babies. A doula provides continuity of support through hospital shift changes, and those with a doula's support report better bonding and breastfeeding experiences. Though your doula does not have a medical role in your birth, she can help with pain management techniques and can recommend practitioners in other areas such as prenatal acupuncture and naturopathy.
Typically, you would meet with your doula in the last trimester so that you can get to know and trust each other and so that your doula is familiar with your birth wishes. You and your partner should feel at ease with your doula and be willing to share this intimate occasion with her.
Doulas charge anywhere from $400 to $1500 to support a birth, depending on their experience, the amount of time they will spend with you before and after the birth and other services they offer such as prenatal massage, aromatherapy or birth photography. Feel free to interview a few doulas and go with the doula you feel most comfortable with.
To find a doula to support you and your partner, visit www.findadoula.com.au, Australia's largest online doula listing that's free for all to use.
* Marshall H. Klaus, MD, John H. Kennell, MD and Phyllis H. Klaus, CSW, MFT: "The Doula Book: How a Trained Labour Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth", Chapter 5: Obstetric Benefits of Doula Support pp73 - 98. Data in this book has been collected from sixteen published randomised, controlled studies which examined the labours of over 5000 women in Canada, Finland, France, Botswana, Greece, Guatamala, South Africa and USA.
|
