What is the Role of a Doula?
A doula is a knowledgeable, passionate, unbiased, trained birth partner. Doula is a Greek word that literally means 'woman's carer'. It is the role of your doula to provide continuity of care throughout your pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.
A doula can facilitate you making informed choices. This means providing balanced, evidence-based information; discussing birth options and strategies; answering any questions or concerns you have; assisting in the development of a birth plan; creating a safe and calm birthing environment; using techniques to limit pain and discomfort in labour; aiding communication between yourself and your health care provider; and supporting those who are supporting you.
When a doula is present at your birth you will never be left alone in the birthing room (unless of course you want to be!). You will have someone present who you trust and feel comfortable with-the physiological effects that this alone can have on your labour are significant. There is someone there to assure you when you are feeling anxious, there is someone there to massage you and suggest positions and movements that may ease the pain, there is someone there to remind you to breathe and to let go of tension you might be holding (which will ultimately lead to more pain if you hold onto it), there is someone there to provide words of encouragement and to believe in your ability to birth your way, and there is someone there to support your partner.
Ultimately, your doula should be acknowledging your needs and doing her very best to fulfill them.
A doula can facilitate you making informed choices. This means providing balanced, evidence-based information; discussing birth options and strategies; answering any questions or concerns you have; assisting in the development of a birth plan; creating a safe and calm birthing environment; using techniques to limit pain and discomfort in labour; aiding communication between yourself and your health care provider; and supporting those who are supporting you.
When a doula is present at your birth you will never be left alone in the birthing room (unless of course you want to be!). You will have someone present who you trust and feel comfortable with-the physiological effects that this alone can have on your labour are significant. There is someone there to assure you when you are feeling anxious, there is someone there to massage you and suggest positions and movements that may ease the pain, there is someone there to remind you to breathe and to let go of tension you might be holding (which will ultimately lead to more pain if you hold onto it), there is someone there to provide words of encouragement and to believe in your ability to birth your way, and there is someone there to support your partner.
Ultimately, your doula should be acknowledging your needs and doing her very best to fulfill them.
What are the Benefits of Having a Doula?
Current research shows the use of a doula has following benefits for a woman's labour, birth and post-natal period:
You can learn more about these stats at these sites:
www.lythgoes.net/birth/doulastatsarticle.html
childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/continuous_support_release_2-11.pdf
You can also learn more about the benefits of hiring a doula from:
- 28% less likely to have a cesarean section
- 31% less likely to use synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor
- 9% less likely to use any pain medication
- 34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively.
You can learn more about these stats at these sites:
www.lythgoes.net/birth/doulastatsarticle.html
childbirthconnection.org/pdfs/continuous_support_release_2-11.pdf
You can also learn more about the benefits of hiring a doula from:
womens_reports.pdf | |
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paediatrics.pdf | |
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doula_klaus.pdf | |
File Size: | 351 kb |
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