top of page
Birth Doula
Why Hire a Doula?
"If a doula was a drug it would be unethical to not use it." - Dr. John H. Kennell
What are the benefits?
A birth doula is a trained experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother/partner before, during and just after birth. Studies have shown that when doulas attend a birth:
- Labors are shorter
- Fewer complications arise
- Less interventions are used
- Reduction in cesarean
- Babies are healthier
- Breastfeeding is easier
- Mother's and partners have a greater satisfaction with their birth experience
What they do NOT do
- Perform clinical tasks; vaginal exams, fetal heart monitoring, blood pressure, taking a temperature
- Deliver babies
- Give medical advice or diagnose conditions
- Judge you for decisions that you make
- Let their biases get in the way of caring for you
- Take over the role of your partner
- Change shifts
- Resource: Evidence-Based Birth
A Doula's role is to:
- 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, an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions
- 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
bottom of page