What is a Doula?

A doula is a labour companion who is trained to support and empower women and their partners during pregnancy, labour, birth and early parenting.

What are the benefits of having a doula?

Having the support of a doula significantly reduces fear and tension and increases feelings of safety and confidence. A doula works to help generate a calm and safe environment, helping you to create and maintain your own birth space and feel in control.  A doula can provide you with evidence-based information, supporting you in making informed choices for the care of you and your baby.

Doulas have been shown to shorten first-time labour, decrease the need for pain medication, decrease the possibility of having a caesarean section, helps partners participate with confidence, increases the likelihood of successful breastfeeding, helps parents bond with their babies and to feel more confident in their new parenting roles.*

Why do I need a doula - I have my partner (or other family member/friend)?

Pregnancy and birth also represent a huge transition for partners. It can be associated with feelings of being overwhelmed, uncertain and apprehensive and unfortunately partners can sometimes feel forgotten. Doulas support partners throughout the whole process, offering information and encouragement.

Anyone that is emotionally attached to the situation will more than likely find it difficult to know how to support the labouring woman effectively, and may even find it challenging to watch their loved-one in discomfort. A doula provides suggestions to help the partner, and any other family member or friend, to support at the level they are most comfortable with, can reassure them, explain what is happening and provide general information about the process of birth.

Having a doula present means that partners can let go of some of the responsibility they tend to take on and this gives them freedom to just be, which is generally what birth is all about.

Why should I use a doula - won't I have a midwife?

The roles of a doula and midwife are vastly different. The main role of a doula is to ensure the woman feels safe, encouraged, listened to and supported. The main role of a midwife is to ensure a safe outcome. The work a doula and a midwife do should compliment each other; ideally they will work together to help ensure a safe and positive journey along with a safe and positive outcome for mother, baby and partner.

It is sometimes expected that one midwife will attend to a birthing woman continuously until her baby is born. Unfortunately this is rarely the case. In hospitals, midwives work on shifts and will generally be responsible for many women at a time, meaning that birthing women and their partners are often left unsupported for long periods of time, and may see many midwives during their experience.

A doula provides that much-needed nurturing and continuity of care, from pregnancy right through into early parenting, that is tailored and exclusive to you and your situation.

Please read more about my doula services.

* Reference: "Mothering the Mother: How a Doula can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth", Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus 1993)