About a birth doula

The word "doula" comes from the Greek language, which means "who serves a woman.”

A doula is not a medical professional, nor are they a substitute for a doctor or midwife. A birth doula gives continuous support to the mother and their partner from pregnancy until the early postpartum period.

Women will experience a birth, or several births in their lifetime and everytime is a different experience. During this time it is natural to have different emotions like worry, shock, sadness, anxiety and very happy moments.

I am also a mother who has experienced pregnancy, childbirth, and miscarriage in Japan, and I felt I did not have informed choices during my experiences. So, as a birth doula I can be at the side of mothers to support them in making their decisions to avoid a negative birth experience.

My role is to aid you in finding the different options of how to give birth, with whom, where and encourage you to make your own decisions.

As doulas exist mainly outside of Japan, they are still unfamiliar here. However, published research from other countries have described the benefits of continuous support for a mother and a baby as a result of birth doula care.

Increase in natural vaginal births
Shorter delivery times
Decrease in cesarean section
Decrease in suction and forceps deliveries
Decrease in the use of analgesics and partial anesthesia during delivery
Decrease in low Apgar scores
Less likely to have negative feelings about the birth experience, etc.

I offer my doula care for Japanese or non-Japanese people who live in Japan, and I especially have empathy for single mothers, teenagers or LGBTQIA+.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email. Each person has different thoughts about pregnancy and childbirth, and their family environment is different, as a birth doula I can provide support to match your needs.

Evidence taken from the Cochrane website “Continuous support for women during childbirth”