Should You Consider Using a Doula?

What Is a Doula?

For thousands of years, women have had a friend or family member offering physical and emotional support during delivery. For most of that time, it was a mother, sister, or good friend who provided this support. Today, labor support professionals called doulas (pronounced DOO-lahs; Greek for "woman who serves") are trained to provide the comfort and care women need during labor. They essentially are mothering the soon-to-be mothers.

The services that a doula provides can include:

• Explanations of medical procedures
• Emotional support
• Advice during pregnancy
• Suggestions to make pregnancy more comfortable
• Help with preparation of a birth plan
• Massage and other nonpharmacological pain relief measures
• Positioning suggestions during labor and birth
• Support for partners and other family members during labor
• Communication with the obstetrician to avoid unnecessary interventions
• Help with breastfeeding
• A written record of the birth