What Is a Doula?
Zōwie McReynolds, CD(DONA) Luna Birth by Zowie
Still considering whether or not you should hire a doula?
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This page is here to help you understand what a doula is, what a doula does, and the amazing benefits of having one!
Defining a Doula
a support person who works with people and families in their reproductive journeys, lending physical and emotional comfort, reassurance, information, and presence, usually through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Lindsay Wolff of Birthing Matters Doula Services defines “doula” as
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There are several different types of doulas, but I’ll be focusing specifically on birth doulas in this article.
Photo by Olivia Anne Snyder on Unsplash
Birth Doulas
A birth doula supports the birthing person and their partner continuously throughout the laboring process. Birth doulas are familiar with and well-educated on all things childbirth, always happy to answer questions and give advice. Birth doulas ensure that the birthing person and their partner make educated decisions about their care and are well-prepared for the labor experience.
Birth doulas are not healthcare professionals. They don’t offer medical advice or perform any medical procedures. A birth team always benefits the birthing person the most when there’s balance. Having team members that are focused on medical care and others focused on emotional support provides that balance.
Birth doulas support the birthing person’s wishes and allow them to make decisions for themselves, never impeding on their right to choose.
Above all, birth doulas aim to empower and support birthing people before, during, and after the birthing process.
・❥・ What Birth Doulas Do ・❥・
Provide physical and emotional support throughout the birth process
physical support includes massage, counterpressure, hot and cold therapy, guided relaxation, breathing techniques, positions to increase comfort and help labor progress, and more
emotional support includes encouragement, praise, reassurance, and simply being a peaceful presence when necessary
❥ Birth doulas not only support the birthing person during the labor process, but also the birth partner and any other present loved ones.
Form an emotional connection with the birthing person
Birth doulas…
organize prenatal visits so that the doula, birthing person, and partner can get to know each other
listen to the birthing person and validate their potential worries and fears
learn what comforts and discomforts the birthing person
learn about any trauma the birthing person may have that may affect their birth experience
listen to the birthing person’s wishes and birth preferences to try their best to make them a reality
process the birth with the birthing person and partner after the birth
Prepare and educate before the birth
Birth doulas…
may ask their clients to practice meditation, breathing techniques, relaxation exercises, and visualization to build a strong foundation for coping during labor
ensure that the birthing person has the necessary external resources for childbirth education, breastfeeding support, and beyond
help the birthing person and their partner outline their birth preferences
ensure that the birthing person and their partner are making educated decisions about their care before, during, and after the birth
❥ Many birth doulas hold multiple certifications for things like childbirth education, postpartum care, breastfeeding, placenta encapsulation, and more! They can be terrific sources of knowledge for more than just the birth process.
“If a woman doesn’t look like a goddess during labor, then someone isn’t treating her right.”
-Ina May Gaskin
Doula Benefits
Birth doula support during labor has been shown to…
improve the mother’s thoughts and feelings about her birth, her baby, herself, and her partner
shorten labor by 2-3 hours
lower the need for pain medications or an epidural
significantly reduce labor complications
significantly reduce the use of unwanted interventions (Pitocin, forceps, vacuum extraction, episiotomies, etc.)
lower the chance of a c-section being performed
produce higher Apgar scores
lead to better breastfeeding outcomes
lead to a more positive postpartum experience
significantly reduce the presence of infant health problems at 6 weeks
…and so much more!
❥ For more information about this ✧ amazing ✧ doula info, check out The Doula Book by John H. Kennell, Marshall H. Klaus, and Phyllis H. Klaus
Not a big reader?
Check out this quick doula benefits fact sheet over on my Instagram!