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.
A doula is a childbirth professional who understands the natural process of having a baby. The doula accompanies the woman in labor, provides emotional and physical support, suggests comfort measures, and provides support and suggestions for the partner to create the most positive, healthy, and enjoyable experience possible. Whenever possible, the doula provides antepartum and postpartum emotional support, including explanation and discussion of practices and procedures, needed.
A doula does not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, fetal heart tone checks, vaginal examinations, or postpartum clinical care. A doula advocates for her client's wishes as expressed in their birth plan, in prenatal conversations, and intrapartum discussion. She helps the mother incorporate changes in plans if and when the need arises, and enhances communication between client and caregiver. A doula does not speak for or make decisions for the client. The advocacy role is best described as support, information, and mediation or negotiation.
What are the benefits of hiring a doula?
Numerous studies have revealed the benefits to 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 used. 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.
Doula’s often use the power of touch and massage to reduce stress and anxiety during labor. According to physicians Marshal Klaus and John Kennell, massage helps stimulate the production of natural oxytocin. The pituitary gland secretes natural oxytocin to the bloodstream which causes uterine contractions and also secretes it to the brain, which results in a feeling of well being, drowsiness and a raised pain threshold. Synthetic IV oxytocin can not cross into the blood stream and brain, so it increases contractions without the positive psychological effects of natural oxytocin.
At least thirteen scientific studies evaluating the effectiveness of doulas have shown that having a doula present at your birth can have the following results:
* Shorter labor by 25% (average two hours less for first time mothers)
* Reduced need for pain medication
* Fewer episiotomies
* 40% reduction in the use of forceps
* 40% reduction in the use of Pitocin
* 50% reduction in cesarean rate
* 60% reduction in the request of epidurals
* Greater satisfaction with the birth
* Better mother infant interaction
* Improved neonatal outcomes
* Increased breastfeeding success
