The word doula is a Greek word that means women’s servant. Women have been serving other women in childbirth for centuries and have proven that this support from another woman has positive effects on the labor process.
My husband (partner) is my right hand and my doula is my left. – from Doulas Making a Difference
What is a doula?A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical and informational support to the woman who is expecting, in labor or has recently given birth. The doula's role is to help women have a safe, memorable and empowering birthing experience.
Most often the word doula is referring to the birth doula, or labor support companion, but there is also the antepartum doula and the postpartum doula. Doulas can also be called labor companions, labor support specialist, labor support professional, birth assistants or labor assistants.
What are the benefits of having a doula?Numerous studies have revealed the benefits of having a doula present during labor. A recent Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, revealed a very high number of positive birth outcomes when a doula was present. When a doula was present, women were less likely to have pain relief medications administered, less likely to have a cesarean birth, and reported having a more positive childbirth experience.
Hodnett ED. Gates S Hofmeyr GJ. Sakala C. Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.(3) CD003766, 2003
Based on 6 randomized studies of over 1500 women, the presence of a doula:• reduces overall cesarean rate by 50%
Taken from “Mothering the Mother: How a doula can help you have a shorter, easier and healthier birth” by Marshall H. Klauss, MD; John H. Kennel, MD; and Phyliss H. Klauss, M.Ed, CSW page 51 Addison- Wesley Publishing Company
• reduces length of labor by 25%
• reduces oxytocin (Pitocin) use by 40%
• reduces use of pain medications by 30%
• reduces the need for forceps by 40%
• reduces requests for epidurals by 60%