What is a Doula?

‘A doula is a trained companion who is not a healthcare professional and who supports another individual through a significant health-related experience, such as childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or stillbirth, or non-reproductive experiences such as dying.

A doula may also provide support to the client's partner, family, and friends. The doula's goal, and role, is to help the client feel safe and comfortable, complementing the role of the healthcare professionals who provide the client's medical care.’

What doulas CAN do…

  • As your doula, we support you and your partner/ family (if you have one) in the journeys of conception, pregnancy and birth with the aim of being the guardian of your rite of passage, quietly supporting you all to have a safe and empowering birth experience.

  • We draw upon our knowledge and experiences to provide you and your family with emotional, physical and practical support and comfort before, during and after birth.

  • We help communicate with your midwives/ consultants to ensure you have the information needed to make informed decisions during birth.

  • We provide reassurance and perspective to you and your partner, make suggestions for progress in birth, and help with relaxation, shiatsu massage, positioning and other techniques for comfort.

  • We can offer you postnatal support; helping hold the baby, do household chores, looking after other dependants so you can have a break, helping you to achieve a positive feeding relationship with your baby and helping you to process the birth and this big new chapter in your lives.

  •  We are independent, self-employed birthworkers and doulas and we are working for you, not your care giver or hospital/birth centre.

What doulas CANNOT do:

  • Doulas do not perform clinical tasks such as blood pressure, foetal heart checks, vaginal exams etc. They are there to provide only physical and emotional support and advocacy.

  • Doulas do not make decisions for you. They will help you get the information you need to make your own informed decisions. They will also remind you if there is a departure from your Birth Plan and will verify if this is, in fact, your informed decision.

  • Doulas will not speak to medical staff regarding matters where health care decisions are being made. They can discuss your concerns with you and suggest options. They can support you in discussions with staff as your advocate, making sure you have the opportunity to discuss concerns, but you or your partner will speak on your behalf to the medical staff.

“I can’t think of a more calming and intelligent presence to have at this precious time of life.”

— Mama from Cardiff