What is a doula?
The word doula originates from the Greek, meaning "servant". Thousands of years later, servanthood remains the central goal of the modern doula, although the term has broadened to describe professionals who support, encourage and help to inform childbearing women of their choices.

A doula aims to serve the expectant family according to their unique needs. For some, that may mean extensive prenatal support to work through anxieties and questions; others may want the doula to focus on providing suggestions for coping during labour; another family may wish to hire a doula to help with household tasks and new baby care in the postpartum period.

Doulas do not replace midwives, doctors, or other primary caregivers. Doulas are not responsible for medical tasks such as monitoring the baby's heartbeat or taking the mother's vital signs. Doulas are generally self-employed.

Doulas do not attempt to impose a specific "method" of birthing and/or parenting on expectant families; instead, doulas offer evidence-based information as requested, and support the mother in whatever choices she makes before, during and after the birth of the baby.

Why hire a doula?

The evidence is in favour of doulas! 14 controlled studies, carried out in several different countries, consistently found that having continuous doula support during childbirth has a positive impact on labour and birth. Some of these benefits include:

• Less pain medication requested by mother (60% reduction in epidural use), and less oxytocin used.
• 50% reduction in c-sections and 40% reduction in forceps deliveries.
• Length of labour reduced by up to 25%.
• Better APGAR scores for baby.
• Greater feelings of satisfaction about the birth experience.
• Decreased likelihood that the mother reported feeling tense in labour, or feeling that labour was worse than she had expected.
• Less perineal trauma.
• Mothers less likely to stop breastfeeding early in the postpartum period.

Information from "A Guide to Effective Care in Pregnancy and Childbirth", Enkin et al, and
from "Mothering the Mother", Klaus, Kennell, Klaus.

Doulas can act as a "protector" of the birthing space, providing a familiar face and calming presence through shift changes and unfamiliar care providers. Doulas strive to respect your birth preferences and give breaks and reassurance to your partner or other family members with you.

Doulas also offer support in the time after a baby is born. A doula can act as a helper, listener and answerer of the questions all new parents encounter. Doulas are a great source of referrals to community resources, before and after a baby is born. The benefits of having a postpartum doula include:

• Mothers feel more secure and cared-for in their new role.
• Less postpartum depression.
• Higher rates of breastfeeding.
• Easier adjustment for the entire family after the birth.
• Greater feelings of self-confidence.

Doulas and partners

You may ask, "Why do I need a doula when my partner will be with me?". Doulas can support the mother's partner is many ways that enhance the experience for both the woman and her mate.

Some partners wish to be very involved and "hands on" in supporting the mother through labour. A doula can give the partner breaks when needed, fetch food and drinks for the couple, offer information about what is happening, and give suggestions for comfort measures if needed.

Other partners may want to provide emotional support to the mother while the doula handles the physical side of support. Some partners may not be comfortable being with the woman during labour or the actual birth; having a doula frees the partner to come and go as they please, knowing that the mother is well-cared for.

With a doula present, the partner no longer feels solely responsible for "coaching" the woman through labour by themselves. If the baby needs special care after the birth, the partner can go with the baby to the nursery while the doula remains with the mother.