Doula

doula \ˈdü-lə\ noun: a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth

Etymology: Greek doulē female slave

Wikipedia states, “In Greece the word has negative connotations, denoting ‘slave,’ as some doulas have inadvertently discovered through their international social networks. For this reason some women performing professional labor support choose to call themselves ‘labor companions’ or ‘birthworkers.’”