Doulas often get asked the question, “what is a doula and what do they do? Maybe you have discussed this with your friends or done a quick google search and found definitions like the ones below.

While these are great definitions of a doula, they lack intuition. At Outlandish Birth, our favorite definition is one found with Best Doula Training because while we do offer physical, emotional, and informational support, we are so much more than that.

Physical Support

We offer physical support, such as holding you up or lifting your leg, giving you hip squeezes, or belly lifts. It’s not that doulas just offer you physical support; it’s that we are responsive to your needs and your body movements before you even say a word. At Outlandish Birth, we trust your intuition and use our knowledge and understanding of childbirth to suggest movements that may ease or move your birth along. Those first definitions make physical support sound so basic when in reality, it is so much more.

Emotional Support

Sure, we give emotional support by believing in you and your abilities to carry, birth, and care for your baby. We are not here to judge you, only to let you know that you can do this, and you can do it however you choose. After all, no one knows your body better than you do! Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum are some of the most emotional times of our lives. We are there for you and also a team member for your partner. We help your partner understand your needs and increase communication between you. A doula is there when you need someone to hold onto or when you need someone to belt into. We can slow the room when you feel like things are whirling and understand how hard you are working. We understand postpartum and that our time with you is more than admiring your new sweet bundle of joy.

Informational Support

We offer informational support by being your bridge to other forms of care. While we have immense knowledge of pregnancy, birth, physiology, and postpartum, we know we are not here to be your teacher. A doula builds a relationship with you, and giving you loads of information can divide that relationship and cause feelings of judgment. Instead, we are here to help connect you to a birth class, a healthcare provider, a pediatrician, a therapist, a lactation consultant, holistic health support, or a yoga class. When we give you information, it will not be biased, as we know and honor that you know more about how you will birth your baby than we do! We are here to help you follow your intuition and follow you through your birth journey.

References

1. https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula/

2. https://bestdoulatraining.com/blog/2017/7/14/what-is-a-doula

3. Merriam-Webster (N.D.) Doula Definition. Merriam Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doula