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Birth Doula

 

What is a birth doula?

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

 

A Birth Doulas

  • Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

  • Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

  • Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth

  • Stays with the woman throughout the labor

  • Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision

  • Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

  • Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience

  • Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

 

Home Birth Support Provide support throughout labor and delivery. Will stay for an hour or two postpartum offering breastfeeding support within our scope, light cleaning and tidying after your special moment. In the event that your family should transfer to a hospital during labor or your risk out of your homebirth, we are still your doula!

 

Hospital/Birthing Center Support Provide support throughout labor and delivery. Will remain after the birth until family is settled in postpartum room. Will offer suggestions on what to bring to the hospital/center.

 

Why It is important to have a birth doula?

  • 31% decrease in the use of Pitocin*

  • 28% decrease in the risk of C-section*

  • 12% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth*

  • 9% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief

  • 14% decrease in the risk of newborns being admitted to a special care nursery

  • 34% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience*

For four of these outcomes,* results with a doula were better than all the other types of continuous support that were studied. For the other outcomes, there was no difference between types of continuous support.

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