What is a doula?

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

What does a doula do?

A doula

• understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor.
• assists the mother and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their hopes for the birth.
• stays by the side of the laboring woman through the entire labor.
• provides emotional support and physical comfort, often employing techniques such as massage, verbal encouragement, coaching, and positioning for comfort and efficient labor and delivery. There are so many ways for a doula to help.
• has an objective viewpoint and provides assitance to the mother and her partner in getting the information they need to make the best decisions for themselves.
• recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life. She perceives her role as one who nurtures and protects the mother's memory of her birth experience.

Studies have shown the benefits of doula-assisted births including:

• 50% reduction in the cesarean rate
• 25% shorter labor
• 50% reduction in epidural requests
• 40% reduction in forceps delivery