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What is a doula?

A doula is a pregnancy, labour and postpartum companion who helps you navigate the wide world of birth and beyond. Doulas provide you with information, answer questions, help formulate a birth plan should you desire it, and help you figure out what path is right for you. Doulas use physical and emotional comfort measures such as hot/cold compresses, massage, guided visualization, and above all, someone who will be by your side throughout the whole process.   Read more...>>

Doulas do not perform clinical procedures, such as checking fetal heart tones, taking blood pressures, doing vaginal exams, etc. - these are the job of the doctor or midwife. In short, a doula is a sounding board/support for the mom and their partner throughout the process of pregnancy and birth.

 

What is a doula’s role at my birth?

My job is to support you however you and/or your partner might require throughout your labour and birth, and that could manifest itself in many different ways.  I have found myself doing standard ‘doula’ things such as feeding mama ice chips and rubbing her back, but I’ve also found myself helping mothers in other ways…I’ve walked dogs in early labour, taught a mama how to breastfeed her baby in a carseat, brought meals after the baby was born, filled birth pools.  I spend a lot of time knitting quietly in the corner while mama and her partner labour beautifully together…I am always available for support and answers, but a lot of the time, my job is just to hold the space around a birthing woman and her baby, to let the natural process of birth unfold.  Essentially, I support you and your family in whatever way you need to be supported, and that is different for each and every birth I attend.

What are the benefits of having a doula?

Not only is having a doula beneficial emotionally in terms of the support you receive, but many studies have concluded that having a a doula present throughout labour and birth can have dramatic physiological benefits as well. Use of a doula is associated with:

  • 50% reduction in Cesarean sections
  • 60% reduction in requests for epidural anesthesia
  • 40% reduction in the need for forceps or assisted delivery
  • 25% shorter labour
  • 40% reduction in the need for Pitocin
  • 30% reduction in analgesia use
  • Fewer cases of postpartum depression
  • Increased success with breastfeeding
  • Increased confidence and participation by the father/partner

Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth by Kennell, Klaus, and Kennell (1993)

Doulas are often familiar with the hospital setting, and can help women and their partners navigate the medical system. They help to understand procedures and interventions in labour and ensure informed consent. Doulas do not speak for women or their partners; they do, however, empower them to make informed choices to ensure they are able to have the birth they desire.