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The Greek word
"doula" means slave or servant. It is now used to describe
a trained and experienced labour companion who provides the mother and her
partner continuous emotional and physical comfort and assistance in
obtaining information before, during and just after childbirth.
A birth
doula...
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recognizes
birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her
life...
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understands the
physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labour...
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assists the
woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans
for the birth...
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stays by the
side of the labouring woman throughout the entire labour
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provides
emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint,
and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to
make good decisions...
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facilitates
communication between the labouring woman, her partner and clinical
care providers...
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perceives her
role as one who nurtures and protects the woman's memory of her birth
experience.
DONA Birth Doula
Workshop Manual 2006
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