Birth Companions:

What do doulas do?

Jerri explains how she works with the moms as a doula. First she meets the mom to find out what her beliefs are about the birth experience, what her hopes are for that process and how Jerri can help her. Jerri tries to provide whatever the mom says she wants from her. If the mom wants information, Jerri will collect it and give it to the mom. She draws the line at providing medical advice, instead encouraging the mom to ask the midwife or doctor any medical questions she may have.

When the mom goes to the hospital, Jerri is there to encourage the mom and support her wishes for the labor and delivery. If the mom wants a natural childbirth with no medical intervention, Jerri works to protect that wish. She supports the mom and encourages her to let the staff know what she wants. Jerri also provides physical support and comfort to the mom during contractions, particularly in the case of a natural childbirth.

Once the baby is born, Jerri can provide continued support. She can find and offer support about breast feeding, she will do a home visit a couple of weeks after the baby is born to see if she can help with housecleaning, watching other children in the house, making a meal, or simply taking care of the baby so the mother can take a shower. She’ll even review the labor and delivery with the mom to fill her in on things she may have forgotten or missed during the process.

Back to more video from Jerri