Mama Bear Doula & Birth Services
I am a registered nurse experienced in Women's Health and new to the KMC area. I am eager to meet and get to know local clients and their families! I offer birth doula (labor support) and postpartum doula services, as well as one-on-one breastfeeding education and support. I have completed my doula training through DONA International in the U.S. and am in the process of certifying. I am also working on becoming a childbirth educator and international board certified lactation consultant. My goals are to support you and your family through the childbirth experience so it's a positive, rewarding one and to empower women and their partners through evidenced-based education and information. I look forward to meeting you!
So, what is a doula?
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
A doula does not take the place of a midwife or doctor, or even the birth partner, but instead provides a different—and additional—kind of support for the birthing woman. Sometimes that support may be just what she needs to get her through that next contraction or a difficult transition or the support may come in the form of helping a birthing woman determine what exactly it is that she needs and wants in a given moment.
Why should I be interested in employing a doula?
A doula can make a huge difference in your childbirth experience! Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.
What does a birth doula do?
-- Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
-- Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
-- Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
-- Stays with the woman throughout the labor
-- Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions
-- Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
-- Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience
-- Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level
Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.
What does a postpartum doula do?
-- Offers education, companionship and nonjudgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester
-- Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tidying
-- Offers evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary
(from the DONA International web site, www.dona.org)
Doula: Deliverers Of Unconditional Love And Support!
THERAPIES:
Touch & Massage
Heat & Cold Application
Encouragement & Attention Focusing
Relaxation & Breathing
Aromatherapy
Positioning & Mobility
Immersion & Aquatherapy
Environmental Lighting
Sound & Music Therapy
