What is a Doula?
A Labor Doula is a trained birth professional that serves as an advocate; providing emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, birth and the initial postpartum period.
Your doula provides companionship, providing information about birth options and planning for your special birth. Doulas participate as part of your health care team to promote a more positive birth experience. A Doula helps transition from home to birth setting, through shift changes with a one-on-one prescense the whole time a mom is in labor through early postpartum hours to help with initial attachment, bonding & breastfeeding.
How Can A Doula Help With Your Birth?
- Your Doula will arrive for your labor when you call.
- Doulas understands the physiology of birth and emotional needs of a woman.
- Help to reduce pain medications and interventions.
- Provide comfort/emotional skills throughout your labor for coping.
- Providing current, evidenced-based information about birth options and planning.
- Helps to advise and advocate within their scope of practice.
- Assists in initial postpartum needs; breastfeeding, newborn care, comfort and fatigue issues.
- Recognizes birth as a key life experience that a mother will remember.
- Respects each mother's individuality and unique circumstances.
- Knows community resources for referrals as needed.
Doula's Have Great Statistics!!
Decrease epidural use by 60%
Decrease Cesarean birth by 50%
Decrease pitocin use by 40%
Decrease narcotics use by 30%
Decrease length of labor by 25%
Decrease forceps use by 30%
Decrease postpartum depression by 40%
Doula's can also increase initiation of breastfeeding with higher success rates for moms to breastfeed longer periods.
There are many certifications for Doula Care throughout the pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.
Labor Doula (CLD)
Antepartum Doula (CAPD)
Postpartum Doula (CPD)
Learn more about an exciting career as a Doula
