What is a doula?
A doula is a supportive companion, trained and experienced in childbirth. She provides continuous emotional, physical comfort and information support to laboring women.
While we will be there to support you and offer comfort measures, you may choose to hire a doula who is totally dedicated to you and your needs without being distracted with the clinical side. She will offer you physical and emotional support. She may massage your back or feet, apply hot or cold compresses, or pressure to your back. She may just simply be there to offer words of encouragement and reassure you that you are doing fine and labor is progressing normally. A doula is not there to replace your husband or other family member, but rather to enhance the experience for all of you.
Contact us for a doula that we recommend in your area.
Effects on birth outcomes:
Effects on birth outcomes:Eleven studies showed the following effects of doula support:
- shorter labors
- fewer complications
- reduced cesarean rates
- less need for oxytocin to speed up labor
- reduced use of forceps
- fewer requests for pain medication and epidurals.
Effects on the mother:
- greater satisfaction with childbirth
- more positive assessments of their babies
- less postpartum depression
Effects on the baby:
- shorter hospital stays and fewer admissions to special care nurseries
- babies breastfeed more easily
- mothers are more affectionate with their babies postpartum
