Choices In Childbirth

Doula FAQs

What is a doula?

The word doula comes from a Greek word meaning a woman who serves.  In labor support terminology, doula refers to a specially trained birth companion (not a friend or loved one) who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth.

The doula offers help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning.  She also assists the woman and her partner to become informed about the ocurse of her labor and her options. Perhaps the most crucial role of the doula is providing continuous emotional reassurance and comfort.

How does the presence of a doula affect the mother?

When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.

How does the presence of a doula affect babies?

Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present tend to have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more affectionate mothers in the postpartum period.

How does the presence of a doula affect birth outcomes?

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

• tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
• reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
• reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
• reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals
• reduces the incidence of  births by cesarean section

Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?

No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner, and plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth to the extent he/she feels comfortable. A doula cannot make some of the unique contributions that the partner makes, such as long-term commitment, intimate knowledge of the waoman and love for her and her child.  The doula is there, in addition to, not instead of, the partner.

Does a doula replace nursing staff?

No.  Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff.  Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. They are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.

Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?

A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, while respecting a woman’s decisions.

FAQ Sources

DONA International

DONA International Position Paper: The Birth Doula