Max B. | Doula in Spring, TX

This is my own description of what I think doulas should do, not every doula shares this philosophy, so ask lots of questions during your interview!
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Doulas provide emotional and physical support during labor and delivery. But there's so much more to it than that. A doula is who you call at midnight because you just had this "weird thing" and you don't want to call the nurse line/midwife or go to the ER but you just can't sleep! Doula's serve as helpers to everyone in the family. If you already have a support person, but they feel unprepared for birth, we can help guide them in the ways that are most helpful to the laboring person. Doulas are often the connection between an isolated pregnant person and a community around them that they've yet to discover. We talk about trauma and all the heavy things that can impact your labor- and how we can work to reduce those impacts. Sometimes birth is traumatic, and we (as a society) need to work through that trauma to heal from it. Doulas are patient advocates in the hospital, to help insure you're fully informed and YOU are making the medical decisions surrounding your care. Doulas also serve in out of hospital births so midwives are focused on your medical care, and we're focused on you. (Some doulas will assist you in "free birth," however that's generally not my jam.) My mentor refers to her position with pregnant/laboring/delivering people as a coordinator, akin to a wedding planner. Doulas should be prepared to help you navigate and negotiate with your medical care team. We help write and advocate for birth plans. My goal is to fill the gaps so that your birth experience is the best outcome for your individual situation.