What is a Doula?
So what's a doula then?
The word "doula" is Greek and translates literally as "servant" (but to be honest I prefer "woman caregiver").
A Contemporary doula gives emotional and practical support to a woman and her partner during pregnancy, labour and birth and during the post-natal period. Doulas usually have a good knowledge of the physiology of birth and the options that are available to you, but don't do anything 'medical' - that is always the role of your midwife.
As a doula I'm happy to support you in the birth environment of your choice, be it home, hospital or birth centre.
Women are designed to give birth, but we forget that or we get scared, we don't trust that our bodies will work.
A doula can enable you to have a deeply satisfying and empowering birth.
Here's some facts and figures about doula support in labour:
- First-time labours are shortened by an average of 2 hours
- There is a decreased need for artificial oxytocin to speed up labour
- Forceps deliveries are reduced by 40%
- Decreases the chance of a caesarean by 50%
- There is a 60% reduction in requests for a epidural
- Helps partners participate with confidence
- Increases success in breast-feeding
(These findings are from "Mothering the Mother" Klaus, Kennel & Klaus, 1993)
