Doula Frequently Asked Questions
What is a birth doula?
A birth doula is a person who is trained and has experience in childbirth. They provide constant emotional, physical and informational support to the birther before, during and just after the birth of the baby.
What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?
Several studies have found that a doula's presence at childbirth tends to result in:
-shorter labours with fewer complications
-reduces the need for interventions such as pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
-reduces the rate of cesareans sections, epidurals, and the requests for pain medication
-a more positive outlook on labour and childbirth
What effects does the presence of a doula have on the birther?
With the presence of a doula during and after childbirth, birthers report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.
What effects does the presence of a doula have on babies?
Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present have benefited greatly with shorter hospital stays, fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more attentive mothers in the postpartum period.
Does a doula replace nursing staff?
The nursing staff attend to the medical needs of the birther and baby and perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. The doula is there as a support to the birther and to enhance the commuication between the birther and hospital staff.
Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
The doula is there for support for the birther but does not make decisions for them.
Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
A doula is supportive to both the birther and her partner, and is there to include the partner in the birth process in the way(s) they feel most comfortable.
A birth doula is a person who is trained and has experience in childbirth. They provide constant emotional, physical and informational support to the birther before, during and just after the birth of the baby.
What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?
Several studies have found that a doula's presence at childbirth tends to result in:
-shorter labours with fewer complications
-reduces the need for interventions such as pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
-reduces the rate of cesareans sections, epidurals, and the requests for pain medication
-a more positive outlook on labour and childbirth
What effects does the presence of a doula have on the birther?
With the presence of a doula during and after childbirth, birthers report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.
What effects does the presence of a doula have on babies?
Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present have benefited greatly with shorter hospital stays, fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more attentive mothers in the postpartum period.
Does a doula replace nursing staff?
The nursing staff attend to the medical needs of the birther and baby and perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. The doula is there as a support to the birther and to enhance the commuication between the birther and hospital staff.
Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
The doula is there for support for the birther but does not make decisions for them.
Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
A doula is supportive to both the birther and her partner, and is there to include the partner in the birth process in the way(s) they feel most comfortable.
