What is a Birth Doula?

The word, "doula," comes from the Greek word for the most important female slave or servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother)

 During delivery, doulas are in constant, close proximity to the mother at all times. They provide comfort with pain relief techniques, such as breathing, relaxing, massage and laboring positions.  A doula acts as an advocate for the mother, encouraging her in her desires for her birth. The goal of a doula is to help the mother have a positive and safe birth experience, whether the mother wants an un-medicated birth or a cesarean birth.

A birth doula is a trained labor support person who provides emotional and physical support to a laboring woman and her partner. While she is not a medical professional, she can offer a wide range of comfort measures during labor - from massage to aromatherapy to continuous reassurance and coping techniques.

   Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:

   50% reduction of cesarean rate
   25% shorter labor
   60% reduction in epidural requests
   30% reduction in analgesia use
   40% reduction in forceps delivery

From Mothering the Mother: How a Doula Can Help You Have A Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth.