Benefits of a Birth Doula

 

What is a doula? The word doula is taken from an ancient Greek word meaning "woman who serves." Today, the term doula refers to a compassionate and experienced individual who guides an individual or family through a significant life transition such as a birth, postpartum. During their work together, the doula provides continuous support to all members of the new family—client, partner, and family. The doula and the family come to share a deep connection founded on the guidance, experience, information, and support the doula provides. 

​

Families who have benefited from professional doula assistance report feeling more positive about their life transitions, achieving greater success with self care, and bonding more strongly as a family, even months later!

When a doula is part of a family's birth team, they can help shorten labor, decrease requests for an epidural, decrease the likelihood of Cesarean section, decrease the need for use of Pitocin and increase overall families' positive feelings about the childbirth experience

 

*(Klaus, M., Kennell, J., Klaus, P. Mothering the Mother: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1993)