What is a Doula?

“Doula” comes from Greek meaning “woman caregiver” or “servant”. A doula is a professional trained to meet a couple’s specific emotional, physical, informational and psychological needs during childbirth.

Doulas provide continuous care during labor as well as having prenatal and postnatal contact. Doulas do not replace a mother’s partner nor other close family members that a mother may want to have participate at her child’s birth.

Doulas and Mothers

A doula is trained to support the mother’s natural ability to give birth, and in many ways “mothers” the mother. Doulas are traditionally women that offer support to create an environment that is the most comfortable and stress-free as possible to allow a woman to totally focus on her job of laboring. She is a labor companion from the beginning of labor until after the baby is born and the mother is recovered from delivery. A doula is a neutral, but caring individual that a mother can turn to for support during the vulnerability of birth. Doulas can assist the mother with numerous methods to manage the pain of labor, ensure that the mother understands all medical terminology and options, and advocate for the choices she desires for her birth. A doula returns the tradition of women helping women in childbirth.

Doulas and Fathers

Current medical practice has put fathers in the positions of being the main labor support for women in birth, but fathers are not always prepared for such intense support. Fathers are often inexperienced in labor and may not understand all medical practices and what is normal during labor.

They are also involved emotionally, sometimes making it difficult to be and do all that a laboring mother may need. Doulas bridge the gap for fathers, allowing them to take on as much or as little involvement that meets their individual comfort level. This then frees the father to be the best emotional support for his partner and to enjoy the thrill of becoming a father!

Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:

60% reduction in epidural requests

50% reduction of cesarean rate

40% reduction in forceps delivery

30% reduction in analgesia use

25% shorter labor

(From Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help
You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth,
Marshall H. Klaus - Perseus Press, 1993)