What is a Doula?

A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical, and educational support to a person who is expecting, is experiencing labor, or has recently given birth. The doula’s purpose is to help those experiencing pregnancy and their partner have a safe, memorable, and empowering birthing experience.

During delivery, doulas are in constant and close proximity to the birthing person. They have the ability to provide comfort with pain-relief techniques including breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, massage, and laboring positions. Doulas also encourage participation from the partner and offer mindful care and reassurance.

A doula acts as an advocate for the birthing person, encouraging and helping them fulfill specific desires they might have for their birth. The goal of a doula is to help the birthing person experience a positive and safe birth, whether an un-medicated birth or a cesarean.

After the birth, many labor doulas will spend time helping the birthing person begin the breastfeeding process and encouraging bonding between the new baby and other family members.

Benefits of a Doula

With the support of a doula, birthing people were less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Womxn also reported having a more positive childbirth experience.

Other studies have shown that having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%.

Doulas often use the power of touch and massage to reduce stress and anxiety during labor. According to physicians Marshal Klaus and John Kennell, massage helps stimulate the production of natural oxytocin. The pituitary gland secretes natural oxytocin to the bloodstream (causing uterine contractions) and to the brain (resulting in feelings of well-being and drowsiness, along with a higher pain threshold).

Simply put: we are successful if you never felt pressured into a decision, you never made a decision out of fear and you felt honored, heard, loved and respected through out your entire birth experience.