Black Hills Doula

The word "doula" comes from Greek and is often translated as "one who serves." A doula's attention and expertise focuses on the birthing woman. I believe a doula’s place is to serve the expecting woman and her partner(s) through education, support, and care. An important distinction, a doula does not replace a woman’s partner or healthcare provider; she does not provide medical advice or medical assistance.

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Within this framework, the scope of practice of a birth doula includes continuous emotional support and physical comfort measures during pregnancy, labor, and birth. More specifically, a doula’s expertise encompasses education by helping the expecting mother receive information to make informed decisions, service by understanding the emotional needs of the laboring woman, and physical support by understanding the physiological process of birth.

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A doula supports a woman in birth, rather than influencing her to have one type of delivery versus another. That said, every woman’s labor and delivery experience is uniquely her own; it is my goal to help women have satisfying, positive, and empowering birth experiences.