• Doulas provide emotional, physical and informational support before and during labor as well as after birth.
  • Research shows that people who use a birth doula are:
    • less likely to need Pitocin.
    • less likely to have a cesarean birth.
    • less likely to use any pain medication.
    • more likely to rate their childbirth experience positively.

MIDWIFE TIP #1: THIS is what this is all about! The list of things a doula assists with are endless but overall they help you have a more positive experience as a whole, which is INVALUABLE!

 

Doulas provide support in 4 categories:

            Physical support – Massage, giving the birthing person snacks and drinks, aromatherapy support, cool compresses, heating pad, etc.

            Emotional Support – Continuous presence, encouragement, praise, debriefing after the birth.

            Educational Support – Help Explain Medical procedures before they occur, helping the partner understand what’s going on, helping suggest techniques for movement, breathing, relaxation, etc, help finding evidence based information.

            Advocacy – Encouraging you to ask the right questions, reminding you of what you want or asking you what you want, facilitating communication between the family and the birth provider.

 

  • Selecting the right doula is a highly personal decision. Look for someone who listens to you, who shows a desire to support a harmonious relationship with your birth team (your midwife/doctor and any staff at your birth location) and with whom both you and your primary support person/partner feel connected.

Doulas DO NOT:

            Provide clinical support via vaginal exams (cervical checks), blood pressure checks, etc.

Deliver your baby

Diagnose any medical condition

Give medical advice

Take over the role of your partner

Make decisions for their client.

MIDWIFE TIP #2: A doula is not defined by what she brings in her bag! Some of the best doulas come with a tiny bag of supplies, a few items that she uses routinely and is armed with an incredible amount of knowledge and intuition that has nothing to do with all the fancy things she brings.