Doula care

Women across the globe appreciate and value the experience of having a doula - a knowledgeable, experienced companion - who stays with them through labor, birth and beyond.

What is a doula?

A doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and after childbirth.

Where does the word "doula" come from?

The word "doula" comes from ancient Greek, meaning "Woman's servant." Throughout history and in much of the world today, a cadre of women support a woman through labor and birth, giving back rubs and providing continuous emotional support.

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.

Do doulas only support unmedicated labour birth plans?

Doulas know that birth is unpredictable. While an unmedicated, supported birth is very possible for most women, the goal of the doula is to make the birth experience a positive and memorable one. The definition of a positive birth experience with regards to pain management varies greatly from one woman to another. Some women accept the pain and hard work of labour, and trust it. Others want to have the option of pain relief, but want to try labouring without it. Yet other womens' philosophies are that pain in labour should be managed.

Doulas differ with regards to the philosophies they will support. My philosophy is "informed choice", and I believe that as long as a woman has the necessary information to make informed decisions with regards to the benefits and risks of medication in childbirth, and is comfortable with her decision whether to accept medication or not, then that is what defines a positive birth experience. Sometimes, mother nature has her own plan, and medications are required. But parents should be always on top of their labour, informed ahead of time if their labour is following a path towards intervention. This can make the difference between a positive birth experience, and an unexpected negative one.

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.