A birth doula is a role that has existed for millennia but hasn’t been described in that way until recently. For hundreds of generations, women in labor were surrounded by other women who provided advice and support (both physical and emotional) as the laboring woman brought her baby into the world.
Today, birth doulas serve the same purpose. Natural nurturers, trained doulas are equipped with a multitude of physical and emotional tools that provide comfort, confidence, and joy during labor and birth.
A birth doula will counsel a pregnant person before and after birth, and accompany them to provide support during labor and birth. Numerous studies have shown that birth doulas help decrease the length of labor, medical interventions, and cesarean rates, and also increase the birthing person’s satisfaction with their experience.
Elizabeth Bean is the doula behind EB Doula. Her journey to becoming a birth doula began during her first pregnancy. She became fascinated by pregnancy and childbirth, and by the amazing things the human body is capable of. Years later, after a second daughter, she decided she would put her passion to use and immediately started researching how to become a birth doula.
She has completed the extensive DONA training course and is currently continuing to work toward certification through DONA.
