Few of us go into pregnancy planning for a high risk experience; it is not part of our personal plan. When a pregnancy becomes 'high risk', for whatever reason, it begins to veer off the path our society and mythology have prepared us for. In a sense the higher risk pregnancy becomes the 'What Not To Expect When You're Expecting' experience.

The Antepartum Doula's mission is to help the client construct an understanding of pregnancy in this new context. They act as guide, providing their client with education and insight. They help normalize and validate the experience, clearing the path for empowerment, enlightenment and formation of new relationships with a community of others who have also experienced a higher risk pregnancy.

In sharing with the client the situations and circumstances that have been survived by others, and possibly themselves, the Antepartum Doula acts as a reminder to the client that they are not alone, and that a higher risk pregnancy does not have to be an isolated one. Having access to the experiences of others provides a powerful coping tool. This is vital in normalizing and humanizing what can often be a frightening and complex medical adventure.

- Virginia Collins