About doulas

Doula, pronounced "doola", is a greek word meaning woman servant or caregiver. It now refers to an experienced woman who offers support to a woman or couple before, during and after childbirth.

Doulas believe in mothering the mother - enabling a woman to have the most satisfying and empowered time that she can during pregnancy, birth and the early days as a new mum. This type of support also helps the whole family to relax and enjoy the experience.

"There is powerful evidence that having a woman with you who is not part of the hospital institution, and who focuses on giving you one-to-one continuing support, makes birth more satisfying, and safer for mother and baby"

Sheila Kitzinger, The New Experience of Childbirth.

Many women will find that the desire to have continuous support during labour is instinctive. Throughout history and in many other cultures all over the world, mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and friends have gathered round a woman as she prepares for her journey towards motherhood. Today we find that for many reasons it is just not possible to have our close family members or friends near to us at this time. I am a doula because I feel that women deserve this kind of support and can truly benefit from it. Aside from the more basic, but very important instinct to have someone with you during labour who has been through childbirth and who will remain with you until after your child has been born, there are many other reasons why women choose to have a doula.

Research has shown that having a doula present at birth can:

• Shorten first time labour by an average of two hours
• Decrease the chances of a caesarean section by 50%
• Decrease complications
• Decrease the need for pain relief
• Result in less use of forceps
• Decrease the chances of postnatal depression
• Help the birth partner to participate with confidence
• Increase success with breastfeeding.

(Findings taken from "Mothering the Mother" by Klaus, Kennell & Klaus, 1993)

Cochrane Review: Continuous Support for Women in Childbirth 2003

Swedish Doula Study

Some statistics....

                                                          no doula                 doula
Caesarean                                             18%                     8%
Forceps delivery                                   26%                     8%
Epidural                                                 55%                     8%
Prolonged breastfeeding                      29%                     51%

More about birth support......     More about postnatal support......