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 Bayreuth, Kulmbach and Kronach. 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.
Information and advice on bottle (formula) feeding: Breastfeeding is the healthiest way to feed your baby, however, if you need or want to give formula milk you may be confused by the large range of products available. As a certified expert for infant formula feeding, I can help you find a suitable formula for your baby’s needs and answer any questions related to formula or bottle feeding, e.g.:
Important: I was trained by the German FeS-Institute. The consultation is 100% independent, that means I am NOT sponsored by any infant formula manufacturer and DO NOT promote any products.
Fees:
An initial consultation costs 30 € and includes a phone or video call of 15-20 minutes. Before the consultation, I will ask you to complete and return a questionnaire, so I am familiar with your situation and can start directly with answering your questions. If you need further help, the consultation costs 40 € per hour. Home visits are also possible.
My name is Evi and I am 39 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
Gasfabrikgäßchen 4
95326 Kulmbach
Email: info@doula-evi.de
Phone: +49 157 77486462 (also WhatsApp)