Why Christians Should Become Death Doulas
“Death” is probably the last word you would expect to find paired with “doula.” And no, this isn’t some sort of spiritual metaphor; it’s an actual job in a young but rapidly growing field. Let me explain. A doula is someone who is trained to help and support a woman during childbirth. Traditionally, the doula or midwife fills the role of a coach who brings wisdom and experience to a family as they bring a new life into the world. When my wife and I had our second child, we had a friend with us who was in training to be a birth doula. Her presence provided much-needed personal help and comfort as someone who was simply there. Of course I was also there, but aside from the birthing classes and the experience of our first child’s birth I didn’t really have much to bring to the table. The nurses were in and out, and the OB-GYN popped in for a few minutes and was there for the birth, but our doula friend was with my wife in a different and much deeper way, providing a combination ...