Doula/Professional Labor Assistant

What does a doula or professional labor assistant do? This depends on the individual practitioner and her training and scope of practice, but one thing is universal: she provides one-on-one support for a woman in labor.

Aimee La Buy Crane is a doula who understands and trusts the process of birth, who respects its physical and emotional aspects as well as the sacred aspects, and who facilitates the birth experience for parents, baby, and primary care providers. As a professional labor assistant, Aimee provides continuous, uninterrupted care for the laboring woman and her partner, and helps them participate fully in their experience by offering physical and emotional support and information about the birth process, available technology, and alternatives.

Aimee meets with the family in their home prenatally to discuss the family's birth plans and desires (and helps formulate a written birth plan for the care providers when necessary). During this meeting, Aimee learns of the woman's medical history and the history of her pregnancy to better serve her in labor. In addition, Aimee and the family discuss the woman's (and her partner's) concerns, fears, dreams, and anything else that may impact her birthing experience.

Aimee utilizes highly trained and eminently qualified practitioners in the unlikely event that back-up is needed, however, in almost all instances, the totality of care will be provided by Aimee (i.e., no "shift changes" or replacement doulas after x number of hours).

Aimee is available to serve in the role of doula/professional labor assistant at home births or in the hospital. In addition, Aimee is on the approved list of birth assistants for BirthCare and Women's Health in Alexandria, Virginia, a certified nurse-midwifery group providing out-of-hospital birth experiences. She has been attending births in this capacity since 1997. The birth assistant's role is considerably different than the doula's role, as the birth assistant's primary responsibility is to assist the nurse-midwife in the discharge of her duties.

Aimee is one of the most experienced professional labor assistants in the metro DC area. She was first certified by ALACE as a Professional Labor Assistant in 1996. Aimee is also a member of DONA.

Aimee has years of experience in helping moms who desire a VBAC, and it is a particular joy of hers to see women reclaim the complete joy of birth in this special way. She has been the doula to mothers of twins, those birthing breech babies, and water birthing moms.

Benefits of a Doula

50% reduction in the cesarean rate
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
40% reduction in oxytocin use
30% reduction in analgesia use
40% reduction in forceps delivery

aimee@birthblessings.com