What is a doula?
Doula is the Greek word meaning “a woman caregiver who serves” — someone supportive and caring. While doctors, nurses and midwives are primarily responsible for the physical health and safety of the mother and baby, a doula meets a woman's non-medical needs. We don’t provide any medical advice or perform medical procedures. We do provide educational, emotional and physical support for women and their partners.
A doula not only benefits the birthing mother, but the entire family. We provide the woman and her partner with continuous emotional and physical support before, during and after birth. I work side by side with your care provider and birthing staff to ensure a supportive and collaborative environment, offering non-judgemental and unbiased support no matter how or where you birth. I support ALL births whether they be non-medicated, medicated, caesarean births or VBACs. Read more about support for different birth types here.
I will support you where you feel the safest and will guarantee complete confidentiality, bringing reassurance and peace of mind to your birth.
“Krista was an immense resource not only for my wife, but was significantly important in my preparations to assist my wife. From our first meeting, Krista showed herself as a dedicated, well researched and loving person. She has been faultless.”
The benefits of having a birth & postnatal doula
Consistent, unbiased emotional support and reassurance
The power of taking away fear with evidence-based care and knowing all your birthing options
An extra skilled set of hands "holding the space” at home and/or in the hospital
Less pressure on the partner as the sole support to the birthing mother
On average, at least a 25% decrease in labour time
Reduced risk of medical interventions such as unplanned cesareans, forceps delivery, epidural requests, use of artificial oxytocin and need of pain medication
Enhanced bonding and breastfeeding with baby
Proven to decrease incidence of postnatal depression
Improved mental health and well-being of the whole family with the right support network around them
Overall a calmer and more enjoyable birth.
By hiring a doula, the mother ensures she has a skilled set of hands “holding the space” for her at home and/or in the hospital. She is surrounded by a nurturing and caring energy and has a reduced risk of any unnecessary medical interventions.
Where do partners fit into all of this?
The relationship between a doula and the mother’s partner is extremely important. A woman with a doula by her side has a supported, reassured partner who also feels confident to carry the intensity of birth.
Doulas do not stand between you and your partner, but in fact bring you together, creating the space you both need to feel comfortable. Sometimes mothers and babies need to be separated and having two support people means no one is left alone. I provide encouragement and tips on how to best support the mother through the birth, as well as providing emotional support and reassurance to partners.
Sometimes mothers and babies need to be separated. Having two support people means no one is left alone. Both the mother and the baby can have a trusted companion by their side during the time they are apart.
By having a birth doula, you have a birth team around you who know what is important to you, allowing you to focus on what you need to do to bring your baby into the world.
With a doula by your side, partners:
Feel less pressure as the sole support to their partner
Can participate at their own comfort level
Can rest and take a break if needed
Be better prepared to provide emotional support to the mother during labour, the birth and at home
Allows the partner to enjoy the experience without the added pressure of trying to remember everything they learnt in childbirth class.
Feel less pressure as the sole support to their partner
Can participate at their own comfort level
Can rest and take a break if needed
Be better prepared to provide emotional support to the mother during labour, the birth and at home
Allows the partner to enjoy the experience without the added pressure of trying to remember everything they learnt in childbirth class.
Delivery staff and birth doulas are a partnership. As it takes a village to care for a newborn, it also takes a unified team to bring that baby into the world.
Doctors and nurses often prefer the company of a birth doula. As medical professionals are watching out for many aspects of the mothers and babies clinical care, they aren’t necessarily able to provide the emotional one-on-one continuous attention a woman needs and that a birth doula can provide during labour. A birth doula can help a mother to be feel less anxious, and is sense of calm often translates into a safer labour and birth.
My holistic care approach provides the birthing mother with a team around her: the care providers on the hospital ward (or whatever arrangement has been decided by the birthing family) as well as a birth doula. It allows everyone to play towards their strengths and provide the mother with continuous support and education.
As your doula, I will stay with you from the time you call until you deliver your baby— we don’t change shifts. Only when you are settled into your room and getting to know your new baby will the birth doula leave you to enjoy this special time as a new family.