What is a Doula?
‘Doula’ is a word from the ancient Greek, which means “she who serves” or “handmaiden,” and is the name given to professionals who provide labor assistance and companionship to birthing women and their families. The emergence of the role of the doula may seem like a new idea when seen from inside of the hospital setting, but truly, the idea of women-attending-women is as old as birth itself. See www.dona.org for more information on the value and purpose of doula care.
WHAT DOES A DOULA DO?
Whether you are choosing to have your baby at the hospital, in a birthing center, or at home, attendance by a doula can provide emotional, physical, and informational support. By meeting prenatally, the doula works with the family to develop a comprehensive birth plan, and provides educational information about the many choices available during the childbearing year. A doula does not replace the clinical care of your midwife or doctor. She helps you carry out your plan for a calm, safe and satisfying experience, and offers advocacy as you navigate the journey of childbirth. Therapeutic presence during labor and birth, advocacy, massage, relaxation techniques, careful listening and observation, and providing an objective perspective are just some of the tools in a doula's bag.
DOULAS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Statistics show that in addition to a lesser incidence of postpartum depression and a higher breastfeeding success rate, women attended by a doula are:
‣ 26% less likely to give birth by cesarean section
‣ 41% less likely to give birth with a vacuum extractor or forceps
‣ 28% less likely to use any analgesia or anesthesia
‣ 33% less likely to be dissatisfied or negatively rate their birth experience (Statistics provided by DONA International)
DOULAS AND PARTNERS
Doula care does not replace the importance of a husband or partner at a woman’s birth. While a doula’s client is technically the pregnant mother, she works with both parents to see their birth dreams come true, offering therapeutic presence to encourage healthy bonding for families as a whole.
