Kathleen Adams

A Doula is one who attrends a woman in childbirth.  A doula is a non-medical childbirth assistant.  She is on hand throughout labor and delivery to provide mom with emotional, physical, informational and advocacy support   While being a massage therapist is not a requirement to become a doula, it certainly helps in the midst of labor as well as in providing the numerous benefits of prenatal massage.  More and more women are turning to Doulas due to the many benefits a childbirth assisant may provide, such as shortened labor time, decreased labor pain, and less chance of ceserean.  With staffing constraints in hospitals everywhere, Doulas can be beneficial to hospital staff as well as moms.  However, Doulas work for mom rather than the hospital.