Why hire a doula?

April 2, 2019 12:00 pm Published by

Hiring a doula is becoming increasingly popular – and for good measure. Is a doula right for you? If you are or have been pregnant, you’ve probably heard about what a doula is. Doulas are support people hired to provide emotional, physical, and informational support before, during and after birth.

Fact: Many mothers are looking for ways to reduce all of the medical interventions during birth. That’s not to say that some hospitals and doctors are allowing the process to happen naturally (as opposed to inducing labor or using other medical interventions to make the process move quicker). A doula is an extra add-on to reassure you that you get the birth experience that you want.

Here are some reasons why you may want to work with a doula:

  • Doulas address prenatal concerns and issues alongside the support of a doctor.
  • Doulas Help pregnant moms and their partners make a well thought out personalized birth plan.
  • Doulas support the partner and the partner’s family that are involved in the birth.
  • Doulas provide labor and delivery support by means of natural comfort, acupressure, breathing techniques, different labor positions, visualizations, and much more.
  • Doulas help with the mental preparation for childbirth helping address fears and concerns.
  • Doulas can help you understand your patient rights.
  • Having a doula present decreases the rate of cesarean births by 28%, helping the mother to be more at ease, and provide comfort support for position changes.
  • With the support of a doula, the use of Pitocin decreases by 31%.

Easing the emotional experience for families and helping create a “safe” space for a family is pretty ideal for me personally. Whether a birth is complex medically, or unmedicated, all families can benefit from a personal and bonding connection with their doula. Doula comes from the greek word doule, meaning “woman who serves.” This is exactly the role of a doula for women in labor.