The word 'Doula' comes from ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves”. A doula is a trained non-medical professional who provides educational, physical, and emotional support to pregnant women, their partner and family during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.
Theoretically, a midwife can also provide this support on her own, but this is usually only possible if you are planning a home birth. In a hospital, continuous 1:1 care by the midwifes during birth is rare and the support is often limited to medical assistance alone. The presence of a partner or a friend can be a great support for the woman giving birth, but sometimes a close person can also be overwhelmed with this task or is not available for other reasons. A doula can therefore be a useful addition for expectant mothers and fathers. Because a doula:
Studies1,2 have shown that when doulas attend birth, labours are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.
1Klaus, MH et al. (2012): The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth. Da Capo Lifelong Books
2Bohren MA et al. (2017): Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766
I can support you in person in the area of Oberfranken and Südthüringen. If you live further away, I can also offer online support.
Fees:
If you are interested in an all-inclusive package (support before, during and after birth), please ask for a quotation as the hourly rate will be cheaper.
Please note: I am not a medical professional and I do not accompany unassisted births (freebirths). For medical advice, please contact your midwife or doctor. If you need help with finding or contacting a doctor or midwife, I am happy to support you.
My name is Evi and I am 40 years old. I was born and raised in Germany but I lived several years in England before returning and settling in Kulmbach with my husband and our three children. Originally, I am a biologist with a doctorate in plant genetics. I never thought I would also work as a doula one day, but things changed during the birth of my second child. It was a busy day in the hospital and I did not get the emotional support I needed. I felt helpless and lonely, and could hardly cope with the labour pain. After that experience, I decided to become a doula and completed the doula training in 2021. I know how it feels to live abroad and giving birth in a foreign country is an exceptional situation that can be scary. For this reason, I offer my services in English and really love to support foreign expats and international couples on their birth journey.
Evi Reinhard
Ängerlein 36B
95326 Kulmbach
Email: info@doula-evi.de
Phone: +49 157 77486462 (also WhatsApp)