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Common Questions |
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Where does the word “doula” come from?
The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek, meaning “Woman’s servant.” Throughout history and in much of the world today, a cadre of women support a woman through labor and birth, giving back rubs and providing continuous emotional support. Like their historical counterparts, DONA International birth doles know how to help a woman in labor feel better.
What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:
- tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
- reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
- reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
- reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans
What effects does the presence of a doula have on the mother?
When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.
What effects do the presence of doulas have on babies?
Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present tend to have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more affectionate mothers in the postpartum period.
Does a doula replace nursing staff?
No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. They are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.
Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, while respecting a woman’s decisions.
Information compiled from: www.dona.org Recent controlled trials involving over 1000 women demonstrate that the presence of a labor assistant results in: - 50% decrease in cesarean sections
- 25% decrease in length of labor
- 30% decrease in use of forceps
- 40% decrease in use of oxytocin
- 60% decrease in use of epidurals
- 30% decrease in use of pain medication (narcotics)
Testimonials
Amy was an amazing Doula during the birth of my son Rowan. I can't imagine her not being there. She offered tremendous amounts of support to both me and my husband. She knew exactly what to do and say during each stage of labor and really helped me stay focused during the hardest moments.Amy really knows how to do great hip squeezes, and will do them for hours if you need her to! She helped us have the birth that we wanted, a completely natural childbirth. She has a very calm presence and doesn't judge you for any of the choices that you make. I joke with my husband that we will have to come back to Utah (we just moved to California) when we have another baby because I can't do it without Amy!
"Thank you again for all you did to create a beautiful, birth experience for me!"
"Thank you for all your support while I was in the hospital. The C- Section threat was always looming, but we held our ground, but not without your support. I'm glad we could call and get your thoughts during the threat of C- Section and because of that, I had him vaginally and without an episiotomy."
"Thank you for sharing the Bradley Method with us, and teaching us how beautiful a natural birth can be."
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Principles of Mother-Friendly Childbirth |
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We believe the philosophical cornerstones of mother-friendly care to be as follows: Normalcy of the Birthing Process - Birth is a normal, natural, and healthy process.
- Women and babies have the inherent wisdom necessary for birth.
- Babies are aware, sensitive human beings at the time of birth, and should be acknowledged and treated as such.
- Breastfeeding provides the optimum nourishment for newborns and infants.
- Birth can safely take place in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
- The midwifery model of care, which supports and protects the normal birth process, is the most appropriate for the majority of women during pregnancy and birth.
Empowerment - A woman's confidence and ability to give birth and to care for her baby are enhanced or diminished by every person who gives her care, and by the environment in which she gives birth.
- A mother and baby are distinct yet interdependent during pregnancy, birth, and infancy. Their interconnected-ness is vital and must be respected.
- Pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period are milestone events in the continuum of life. These experiences profoundly affect women, babies, fathers, and families, and have important and long-lasting effects on society.
Autonomy Every woman should have the opportunity to: - Have a healthy and joyous birth experience for herself and her family, regardless of her age or circumstances;
- Give birth as she wishes in an environment in which she feels nurtured and secure, and her emotional well-being, privacy, and personal preferences are respected;
- Have access to the full range of options for pregnancy, birth, and nurturing her baby, and to accurate information on all available birthing sites, caregivers, and practices;
- Receive accurate and up-to-date information about the benefits and risks of all procedures, drugs, and tests suggested for use during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, with the rights to informed consent and informed refusal;
- Receive support for making informed choices about what is best for her and her baby based on her individual values and beliefs.
Do No Harm - Interventions should not be applied routinely during pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period. Many standard medical tests, procedures, technologies, and drugs carry risks to both mother and baby, and should be avoided in the absence of specific scientific indications for their use.
- If complications arise during pregnancy, birth, or the postpartum period, medical treatments should be evidence-based.
Responsibility - Each caregiver is responsible for the quality of care she or he provides.
- Maternity care practice should be based not on the needs of the caregiver or provider, but solely on the needs of the mother and child.
- Each hospital and birth center is responsible for the periodic review and evaluation, according to current scientific evidence, of the effectiveness, risks, and rates of use of its medical procedures for mothers and babies.
- Society, through both its government and the public health establishment, is responsible for ensuring access to maternity services for all women, and for monitoring the quality of those services.
- Individuals are ultimately responsible for making informed choices about the health care they and their babies receive.
Information compiled from: Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) at www.motherfriendly.org |
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Just as the body knows full well
how to make this baby,
you also know how to give birth.
--Peterson
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