When you hear the term “midwife” or “doula”, you probably think of the birthing process. But did you know that they can also assist families through the death process? As the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) says: “We have accompanied each other through the bookends of life – birth and death – since the beginning of time.”
As a funeral director, one of your duties is to help families through the death and grieving process. Supplementing your excellent care with information about death doulas and midwives can help them further through the death process. Below we’ve included some facts you may not know about both, and how they impact your families.
Death Doulas
Death doulas come into the picture sooner than the actual death process – oftentimes becoming part of the transition at the terminal illness stage for those who predict imminent death. At this point, the Doula will provide emotional or spiritual support for the family, helping them prepare for the death process, or process the death that has occurred.
Along with processing emotions, they can also start conversations with families ahead of time about how they would like to memorialize their loved ones. At the time of need, they would be prepared for the conversation with the funeral director about how they would like to organize the services.
Death Midwifery
Death Midwives are not different than Doulas. The Death Midwife’s website describes their role similarly, as to assist families in the death preparation process and start the conversation about memorializing loved ones. They also highlight the importance that becoming a Death Midwife is not a role specifically for women – anyone can become an advocate for families.
The organization calls attention to the significance of removing the negative stereotypes of death. Of course, it is a time of mourning, but having a conversation with someone like a Death Midwife about celebration can help a family navigate the difficult time with a clearer mind.
The Benefits for Funeral Professionals
Although both Death Doulas and Midwives can assist in the grief process and planning preparation, you as the funeral director still stand by the family, doing your job as their funeral service advocate. Recommending Doulas and Midwives as a supplementary service to families in need can make your position in planning smoother, as they may be more ready to approach the difficult subject of planning after speaking with another death professional.
eFuneral Partner is proud to have DIY Dying as our Partner, providing "Do it yourself death care", serving families with Death Midwifery and Funeral Care.