What?! Don’t you know what a doula is?
First off, you’re not alone, and secondly, it’s ok. For this reason, you just became my new best friend.
I’m Eva, and I love meeting someone who has no idea what a doula is. Seriously, it’s better than chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows combined! I love it because I now get to be the one who tells you all about what I do and what the benefits are of having me, a doula, as part of your birth team.
The number one question I’m asked when people find out I’m a doula is “So you’re like a midwife?”
After a brief explanation that I am not, in fact, a midwife, I sometimes get this little beauty, “Well it sounds great, but we are having this baby in the hospital, so we won’t need a doula. Maybe with the next baby, we’ll have “that kind” of birth.”
Now it’s my turn to be confused. What kind of birth do they think I support?
I guess when I say “I’m a doula” it sometimes triggers an image of me being some sort of pseudo-hippie midwife.
Someone that helps women birth their babies in a field of wheat while the sun sets and the crickets begin to sing.
Let me assure you that is not what I am.
I mean, we don’t have wheat fields in Tucson. Besides, I have crazy allergies.
It’s at this point that I have the great pleasure of teaching them that I not only support “that kind” of birth, whatever kind they are referring to, but I also support ANY kind of birth. I tell them that I actually have yet to attend a home birth and that 100% of my clients have delivered in the hospital.
In fact, we receive more requests for hospital births than any other type.
Just to be clear here is a list of the type of births I support:
I do all of it. Because this is your birth, and my job is to fully support you and your family.
I love being able to come into a prenatal appointment and help ease your mind. Reassure you that you are calling the shots.
You get the satisfaction of knowing that your doula will support you with non-judgmental and unbiased emotional, physical, and educational support. I am there as your expert in options.
So no matter if you want this kind of birth or that sort of birth, I will support you all the way.
In any way you choose.
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