Doula Prenatal and Postnatal Care
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Jaime Ward is a nationally certified massage therapist (NCTMB) as well as a certified Doula.She graduated from the Pennsylvania Institute of Massage Therapy at the top of her class and has been in the massage field for eight years. Her services include Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage, Sports massage, Hot stone massage, Myofacial Release, Reflexology, Aromatherapy and Doula services. These services have been provided in Resort, and Spa settings as well as in homes throughout Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Arizona.
Doula A doula is an assistant who provides various forms of non-medical support (physical, emotional and informed choice) in the childbirth process. Based on a particular doula's training and background, the doula may offer support during prenatal care, during childbirth and/or during the postpartum period. A birth doula is a care provider for labor. Thus a labor doula may attend a home birth or might attend the parturient woman during labor at home and continue while in transport and then complete supporting the birth at a hospital or a birth center. A postpartum doula typically begins providing care in the home after the birth. Such care might include cooking for the mother, breastfeeding support, newborn care assistance, errands, light housekeeping, etc. Such care is provided from the day after the birth, providing services through the first six weeks postpartum. In some cases, doula care can last several months or even to a year postpartum - especially in cases when mothers are suffering from postpartum depression, children with special needs require longer care, or there are multiple infants.
Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily. The word, "doula," comes from the Greek word for the most important female slave or servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life... Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor... Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth...Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor...Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions...Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and clinical careproviders...Perceives her role as one who nutures and protects the woman's memory of her birth experience.
The acceptance of doulas in maternity care is growing rapidly with the recognition of their important contribution to the improved physical outcomes and emotional well-being of mothers and infants.
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