What is a Doula?
A Doula (pronounced doo-la) is from the Greek word meaning "woman who serves other women".
A Doula is a mother herself, who has been trained to provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy, labour and afterwards. She fulfils the much needed and unfortunately often missing role of support for women (and their partners) from pregnancy to early parenting. The Doula’s role is to "mother the mother" and help smooth the transition into parenthood. A Doula is beneficial to the whole family, her supportive presence can take the pressure off partners at the birth and when working postnatally, she can help take care of older siblings, as well as many other daily tasks.
A Birth Doula not only attends the birth, but helps the labouring woman and her partner to make informed decisions.
Her role is empathic, considerate and reassuring. By using her skills, alongside her knowledge she can help make birth a more special experience for the whole family whether at hospital or home.
Her supportive presence inspires confidence in the woman’s ability to give birth and helps reduce fear of the unknown. She is always positive. Her commitment is total.
It is meeting a woman’s deepest emotional needs that a Doula can so dramatically affect labour. What women need is someone who understands them, someone who ‘speaks their language’ at the most intimate time of their lives. Someone whom they can trust.
A Doula does not replace the birth partner but frees them from feeling totally responsible for the mother's well being. The Doula allows the partner the freedom to participate as and when they feel able. The Doula respects their relationship and is sensitive to both their needs.
A succession of reports in major medical journals have shown that the presence of a Doula can:
I am a mentored birth and postnatal doula with Doula UK.
A Doula is a mother herself, who has been trained to provide emotional and practical support during pregnancy, labour and afterwards. She fulfils the much needed and unfortunately often missing role of support for women (and their partners) from pregnancy to early parenting. The Doula’s role is to "mother the mother" and help smooth the transition into parenthood. A Doula is beneficial to the whole family, her supportive presence can take the pressure off partners at the birth and when working postnatally, she can help take care of older siblings, as well as many other daily tasks.
A Birth Doula not only attends the birth, but helps the labouring woman and her partner to make informed decisions.
Her role is empathic, considerate and reassuring. By using her skills, alongside her knowledge she can help make birth a more special experience for the whole family whether at hospital or home.
Her supportive presence inspires confidence in the woman’s ability to give birth and helps reduce fear of the unknown. She is always positive. Her commitment is total.
It is meeting a woman’s deepest emotional needs that a Doula can so dramatically affect labour. What women need is someone who understands them, someone who ‘speaks their language’ at the most intimate time of their lives. Someone whom they can trust.
A Doula does not replace the birth partner but frees them from feeling totally responsible for the mother's well being. The Doula allows the partner the freedom to participate as and when they feel able. The Doula respects their relationship and is sensitive to both their needs.
A succession of reports in major medical journals have shown that the presence of a Doula can:
- shorten labour by several hours
- halve the need for caesarean and forceps deliveries
- reduce the need for use of painkillers and epidurals
- are less likely to have post natal depression.
- show higher self esteem about their labour
- are more confident of their ability to birth their baby and care for it
I am a mentored birth and postnatal doula with Doula UK.