A doula (also referred to as a professional birth assistant) is a person who provides continuous one-on-one support to women during labor and delivery. A doula understands the course of birth and provides emotional and physical support to the mother and her family. The birth doula offers help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement, positioning, and massage. Doulas attend home and hospital births, medicated and unmedicated births, with women whose care is being overseen by midwives or doctors.
Proven benefits of doula care:
- Decreased medical intervention in labor
- Reduced need for cesarean by 50%
- Reduced length of labor by 25%
- Reduced use of oxytocin by 40%
- Reduced the need for forceps by 40%
- Reduced pain medication use by 30%
- Reduced epidural request by 60%
6 weeks after birth, mothers who had doulas were:
- less anxious and depressed
- more confident with baby
- more satisfied with their partner (71% vs 30%)
- more likely to continue breastfeeding (52% vs 29%)