|
|
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who
serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced
professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and
informational support to the mother before, during and just after
birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the
postpartum period.
Studies have shown that when
doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications,
babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.
Why should I hire a Doula?
Your memories of labor, including the full intensity of your feelings,
will stay with you for the rest of your life. Of course you want your
experience to be as positive as possible. Research shows that the
availability of support in labor can affect how you feel about your
labor, yourself, your baby, and your partner. It can even affect your
chances of having a cesarean, vacuum extraction, or forceps delivery;
the likelihood that you will need pain medications; and your baby's
condition at birth. Labor support can help you avoid or reduce risks
associated with these interventions.
Various systematic reviews have looked at the impact of continuous labor support under different conditions.
Several
reviews have found that the type of person providing the care appears
to make a difference. Labor support provided by caregivers who come to
the labor setting expressly to provide this care appears to offer women
more benefits than labor support provided by nurses or other clinical
caregivers from that setting (Hodnett and colleagues 2004, Simkin and
O'Hara 2002, Scott and colleagues 1999). In the most recent and largest
review, when compared to women who did not receive continuous support,
those who received continuous labor support from someone present just
for this purpose were
-
26% less likely to give birth by cesarean section
-
41% less likely to give birth with vacuum extraction or forceps
-
28% less likely to use any pain medications and
-
33% less likely to be dissatisfied with or negatively rate their birth experience (Hodnett and colleagues 2004).
Is there anything a Doula can NOT do?
There are a few things a doula is not. She is not acting as a nurse or midwife, so she does not
provide clinical care such as doing examinations on you or checking
your baby's heartbeat. The support a doula provides fits together
with, but does not replace, the care of your doctor, midwife,
or nurses.
Doulas do not make decisions
for you, or speak for you. This is your birth, your baby, your life!
A doula supports you by providing information and explanations you
may want about your choices, but it's always you who decides
what's best for you.
Sources used: www.dona.org, www.childbirthconnection.com, www.childbirthinternational.com
|
|
|
|
|
