Presbyterian Doulas

To Reserve a Doula for Your Labor, Call 505-563-6500

What is a Doula?

The word "doula" is from the Greek and means "woman's servant." Today we use the term to refer to women who have experience with labor and birth and are trained as labor support specialists.  During labor, a doula is a constant, calm presence. She provides emotional and physical support to the laboring woman and her partner. Because labor is unpredictable and can be a time of stress, even the best-prepared women can benefit from doula support during labor.

What does a Doula Do?

During labor, a doula provides:

• Emotional support
• Massage
• Relaxation, breathing techniques and other non-medical pain relief measures
• Positioning suggestions to enhance comfort and facilitate progress
• Support to the birth partner so that he/she can provide encouragement
• Help with initiation of the first breastfeeding experience
• Facilitation of communication with your childbirth team

Fathers and Partners

Fathers and partners are best able to provide the love and support that a woman needs during childbirth, but sometimes they lack experience when it comes to dealing with the realities of labor and birth. And, even if they attended childbirth preparation classes, fathers and partners can be surprised and, occasionally, overwhelmed by the amount of work and the emotional strain involved in providing labor support. Plus, we recognize that fathers and partners may be experiencing emotions and fears of their own related to the process of labor and birth, and may find it difficult to remain objective and in control.

We Invite You to Meet Our Doulas

Come meet our doulas at one of our free teas. Call (505) 724-6500 to RSVP.