Why Hire a Doula?
Whether the birth takes place in a hospital, birthing center
or home - whether the baby is delivered by a doctor or midwife, a doula is a
valuable asset to any birth team.
Research shows that the support of a doula throughout
pregnancy optimizes a woman’s chance of having a healthier birth experience and
a healthier infant.
Studies have shown that the presence and support of a
professional labor assistant (doula) can:
Shorten Labor by 25%
Reduce the overall
cesarean rate by 50%
Decrease the need for pain
medication by 30%
Limit the requests of
epidurals by 50%
Decrease the need for forceps by 40%
It’s never too late to hire a doula. She can join you at any
point in the process.
What about Dads and Partners?
Doulas are not
meant to replace the partner or their vital contributions in labor.
As a doula I work to facilitate the bonding of women and
their partners during labor.
The presence of a doula allows the partner to relax and
participate at the level that they are most comfortable with, relieving them of
the pressure to know or do it all.
A doula can allow the partner to take breaks, offer
suggestions when they don’t know what to do, help them to understand what is
happening to the mother emotionally and physiologically as labor progresses.
"While the
doula probably knows more than the partner about birth, hospitals and maternity
care, the partner knows more about the woman's personality, likes, dislikes and
needs. Moreover, he loves the woman more than anyone else there. The
combination of partner and doula, along with a caring staff gives the woman the
best chance of an optimal outcome."
-Penny Simkin, author
of The Birth Partner
I hope to give you and your partner the knowledge and
confidence to thrive and blossom during this time!
View this YouTube video about a Doula's role. Click here
