For centuries, women have helped each other through the childbearing process by providing one another physical and emotional support. Doulas offer this same sort of support through education, encouragement, pain-relief techniques (like massage and breathing tips), and uplifting coaching throughout the birth of a baby. Even Meghan Markle is said to have consulted a doula for the recent birth of her baby boy, and Amy Schumer sang the praises of her doula after her son’s birth (though she found herself asking, “What is a doula?” too).
You may be wondering if working with a doula is for you. But what is a doula, exactly, and what does she do? We’re here to provide everything you need to know about what is a doula, the benefits of having a doula, a doula’s role is, and how a doula can impact your delivery.
What is a doula?
The word doula comes from the Greek, meaning “women’s servant,” and a doula is a professionally trained childbirth expert who offers physical, emotional, and educational guidance to expecting moms. Doulas strive to help pregnant women experience the most positive, safe, and empowering pregnancy and childbirth process possible. They can help women develop their birth plans so they know what sort of experience they want, where they’d prefer not to compromise, and how to feel empowered over a process that can’t really be controlled.
You can think of a doula as someone like a birth coach who acts as an encouraging assistant throughout pregnancy and delivery. While lots of attention is rightly paid to caring for the baby, the doula represents the mother.
The most commonly thought of doulas are birth doulas, who support labor as a mother’s companion.
They do not take the place of the mother’s husband or partner during delivery. In fact, doulas often encourage and help the partner to use comforting techniques and emotionally support him or her during the birth process, as well.
What is a doula going to do?
Usually, doulas begin working with expecting mothers a few months before the delivery date. They build a relationship with each other and work together to create a birth plan that fits the mother’s expectations and hopes. Doulas are not medical care providers, but they are well-versed in most medical components of labor and delivery.
This knowledge and understanding of pregnancy and birth allows doulas to walk mothers through the procedures and potential risks throughout childbirth. Doulas can be helpful for any type of birth, medicated or unmedicated, but many women have reported needing fewer interventions (such as medication or cesarean sections) with a doula.
One study shows that women who have doulas are reported to be 39 percent less likely to have a cesarean birth, 35 percent less likely to have a negative birth experience, and 15 percent more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth.
A doula is there to be an advocate for a pregnant woman. They uplift and support mothers in undergoing their desired plan for birth. The entire goal of having a doula is to help moms go through positive and safe births, not to give unsolicited medical advice. After delivery, doulas help mothers and other family members bond with the baby. They also help start the breastfeeding process.
There are also antepartum doulas, who give support to women who are on bed rest or have high-risk pregnancies, and postpartum doulas, who provide support during the weeks following birth. These doulas provide practical support and encouragement during often overwhelming and stressful times.
What is a doula’s benefit?
Childbirth can be a scary and overwhelming time, especially if things don’t go according to plan. But now that you know what is a doula’s role and what is a doula’s tasks during labor, here are the ways that having a doula can help during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period.
What is a doula going to help you with? Having a doula can:
- Reduce stress and anxiety during labor with the power of touch, pressure points, and massage
- Help mothers understand the medical processes and possible risks in late pregnancy and labor
- Provide active support, guidance, comfort, and answers to questions in the months leading up to delivery
- Decrease the odds of needing a C-section, length of delivery, use of oxytocin, and desire for epidural, according to some studies
- Help mothers breastfeed and the family connect with the new baby
- Create a more positive and empowering environment during childbirth
- Encourage husbands or partners to participate or offer reassurance
What is a doula’s role during delivery?
Simply put, doulas provide expecting mothers:
- Physical support, like position suggestions to help with labor discomfort, breathing techniques, and a comforting touch.
- Emotional support by being a tender, and nurturing, and yet reassuring, presence to all family members leading up to and during birth.
- Partner support by educating and encouraging any level of participation the mother’s partner or family members are comfortable with performing.
- Evidence-based information and advocacy, as doulas “serve as a bridge of communication between women and their providers, lifting them up to help them find their voices and advocate for the very best care,” according to DONA International, an esteemed doula certification organization.
Doulas are not medical doctors, but they have a vast knowledge of medical practices so they can as to act as an intermediary between a pregnant woman and her doctor or midwife. They’re also different from midwives, who are healthcare providers who offer prenatal care and deliver babies in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
Not everyone needs or wants a doula for their labor, but there are certainly some powerful perks to using one. If you’re thinking about finding a doula, it’s important to seek one out that you feel comfortable with and connect with easily. You want to be able to ask them any questions you might have, so do some research and set up a few consults to see who you click with best.
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