Birth attendant

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A birth attendant is a midwife, physician, obstetrician, nurse, or other health care provider who is present at ("attends") a childbirth in a professional capacity.

A birth assistant is someone other than the above who is trained, apprenticed, and/or experienced to assist the mother through childbirth. This person may be known as a doula, birth worker, or labor support person. The professional birth assistant is a person who attends the birthing family from early labor until the baby is born. They are trained to provide continuity of care from home to hospital or birth center, ease the transition into the hospital/birth center environment, be there through changing nurse & physician shift schedules to serve as advocate, labor companion, and informed choice ally to give the parents-to-be the freedom to focus inward as they meet the challenges and rewards of their unique birthing experience. A doula usually also offers support services to the family in the weeks following the birth and may or may not assist in the birth.

The child's parents, immediate family, and any other persons who may be present are not normally considered birth attendants nor birth assistants even if they are present at the childbirth and may give assistance to the mother.