What is a Doula?

The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

 

A Birth Doula

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth

• Stays with the woman throughout the labor

• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions

• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience

• Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level

 

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Doula FAQs

 

What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

• tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications

• reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience

• reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction

• reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans

 

What effects does the presence of a doula have on the mother?

When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.

 

What effects do the presence of doulas have on babies?

Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present tend to have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more affectionate mothers in the postpartum period.

 

Does a doula replace nursing staff?

No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. They are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.

 

Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?

A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, while respecting a woman’s decisions.

 

Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?

No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner, and plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth to the extent he/she feels comfortable.

 

This information, and more can be found on DONA International's website