Thanks for the welcomes back!
WV, a doula is trained to support a woman emotionally and physically during labor and childbirth. Except for the foot and leg massages, we work "from the waist up." I know positions and techniques to help women progress through labor and cope with pain. Midwives in a hospital generally do not do any of this, they are there, like OB's, to check the cervix periodically and catch the baby. They do all the clinical stuff, which doulas are not licensed or qualified to do. At a homebirth, midwives play much the same role a doula does, because homebirth is more of a hands-off process, and they will be there for a good bit of the birth, not checking in on other patients. A doula stays with her client from beginning to end, home or hospital. I personally support women through whatever kind of birth they want, but some doulas are more inclined to only take clients who want a natural and unmedicated birth. I have a website if you'd like to see it, (I don't want to try and post it, but you can PM me if you'd like) but really, that's the gist of it. Sorry, I didn't mean to write a novel, I tend to go overboard when engaged, LOL, I love my job.
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