Why Hire a Doula?
A Doula Can Assist With:
- Helping prepare a birth plan
- Provide suggestions and exercises to help you have a more
comfortable pregnancy - Explain medical procedures
- Provide emotional support
- Suggest and providing non- pharmacological pain relief
techniques (massage, heat therapy, positioning) - Assist with breastfeeding
- Provide partner support
- Work as an advocate in carrying out your birth plan.
- Help partners be a better birth assistant.
Women supported by a doula during
labor have been shown to have:
- 50% reduction in Cesarean rate
- 25% shorter labor
- 60% reduction in epidural requests
- 40% reduction in Pitocin use
- 30% reduction in analgesic use
- 30% reduction in forceps delivery
Six weeks after birth, mothers who
had doulas experienced:
- Less anxiety and depression
- More confidence with the baby
- More satisfaction with their partner
Benefits of using a postpartum doula:
- Improved breastfeeding
- Increased time spent with baby
- More positive maternal assessments of baby's
personality and health, and maternal competence - Decreased postpartum depression
Special thanks for the photographs on our site which were provided by Tammy Williams.