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"Doula" derives from the Greek word for bondservant or slave. In reference to childbirth, a doula is someone completely devoted to meeting any needs the mother might have during labor, delivery, and postpartum. A doula is a trained labor coach who will assist you and your birth partner during labor and delivery by providing continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and directly after childbirth. This support can take on a lot of different aspects, depending on the mother's needs, anywhere ranging from massaging her back to helping with breastfeeding after delivery.
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With a doula present studies have shown that pain relief requests go down, labor can be shorter, and satisfaction goes up with the birth experience. New moms tend to have less anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and are more likely to breastfeed successfully. Having a doula may mean having a shorter hospital stay and their mamas bond quicker and stronger to their babies. Bottom line, if you have continuous labor support by a doula you and your baby are statistically more likely to have a better outcome
With a doula present, pain relief requests are reduced by 30% and epidural requests are reduced by 60%, overall labor is 25% shorter, a shorter labor translates to less pain. Doulas have been proven to be viable sources of pain relief. Having a doula present gives you a 50% less chance of needing a Cesarean Section, and a 40% less chance that the caregiver will need to use forceps or a vacuum cup to deliver the baby. Doulas decrease the risk of unwanted interventions. According to a Case Western University study 7.8% of women supported by a doula requested an epidural versus 55.3% of women who requested an epidural while not having a doula support her.. Bottom line, if you have continuous labor support by a doula you and your baby are statistically more likely to have a better outcome. If you want to decrease use of labor augmentation drugs such as Pitocin, Cesarean Section, and being overall dissatisfied with your birth experience then a doula might be right for you. Source: Evidence Based Birth.
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This is a concern we hear often and want to lay to rest. One of your doula's main jobs is to enhance the support that partners offer by increasing their confidence in assisting the laboring mother. A doula is supportive of both mother and birth partner and can play a crucial role in helping a partner become involved with the process, without being intrusive. Doulas allow birth partners guilt-free breaks, relieving their fears of exhaustion as mom will not be left alone during any part of the birth. Doulas support the birth partner by offering suggestions of what to do next, knowledge of what is happening to mom and baby as labor intensifies, and encouragement that will prevent partner and mom from becoming overwhelmed. Each member of a woman's family will have their own emotional response to seeing a woman they love experience labor, this is a special moment for each of these people. A doula also serves as an information source, there to answer any questions, help the family process test results, and translate medical language as the birth progresses.
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Doulas enhance the birth experience by anticipating your needs, and helping you carry out the desires you have for birth. A doula work with you to create and maintain a birth plan that you can feel confident about. Doulas are an impartial voice of reason and information, there to answer any questions you might have about your care during labor and delivery. A doula helps you advocate for yourself, she provides coaching and pain-relieving techniques, she can guide you through breathing techniques and visualizations, or suggest a change of position. A doula comes to you whenever you call her and will be there to support you while you labor at home, transfer to a birthing center and/or hospital, and after delivery. A doula gives continuous one on one support throughout your entire labor and delivery experience. A doula does not leave right after the birth, she helps you get settled in, helps with initial newborn care and breastfeeding, and gives the mother an opportunity to attend to her personal care needs. A doula also visits you during a postpartum home visit to answer questions, help you process your birth experience, and give closure to our shared experience.
FAQs
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The earlier the better as your doula can begin to answer questions, offer suggestions, and get to know you. The longer you know your doula, the better your relationship will be when the time for delivery comes. You will benefit from doula support, whether you contacted her early in your pregnancy or late in the third trimester, there is never a wrong time to contact a doula.
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Doctors, midwives, and nurses all play vital roles in your birth team and will each support your birth in their given capacities. These people are highly trained medical experts and as such are responsible for monitoring your safety and the safety of your baby during labor and delivery. However, doctors, midwives, and nurses all come and go during your labor and delivery, often leaving you and your partner alone for extended periods of time. They are busy people, you are not their sole point of focus, they often have many other patients to monitor as well as yourself. A doula is not part of your medical team and is not a replacement for a medical team, a doula serves to complement that team by providing continuous one on one support to the mom from the beginning of labor, through delivery, and during several hours postpartum. Doulas do not offer medical care, rather they attend to every other part of your birth experience. A doula is trained to give her attention to your emotional, physical, and spiritual health during your labor and delivery which we believe are just as important as medical safety and should be given the same amount of care as pregnancy is not a medical condition, but a natural part of life.