When I was having my babies in the years 1980 to 1998, I had not heard of a doula. However, in the past few years, I have become acquainted with several doulas. The first one I knew through working with her as she started a classical school. The second doula I met had attended my daughter’s birth. The third my daughter-in-law, who became a doula. And finally, my neighbor became became a doula. We shall see what a doula is and what she does to help a pregnant woman.

Personal Story

I first met a doula around 2009. She and I went to the same church. I watched her children while she took her lactation certification exam. Her passion was to empower women to experience birth with joy, comfort, and knowledge. Having known her, I know I would have loved to have a doula to assist me with my births. I might have even studied for a doula certificate myself earlier at an earlier time of my life. Having the information a doula can provide would have been helpful during my childbearing years.

What Is a Doula?

A doula is a woman who is employed to give guidance, physical comfort, and emotional support to a pregnant woman before, during, and after her labor and childbirth. Many doulas do not have formal obstetric training, but they can sometimes be a go-between the pregnant woman and the hospital staff. Doulas may also be employed to provide support and guidance to a woman who has a newborn baby.

How Does a Doula Provide Support?

Some ways a doula provide support include.

• Provide knowledge about natural birth
• Assist the mother during difficult labor
• Help reduce the time spent in labor
• Lower the number of medical interventions (including C-sections)
• Help mother-baby bonding
• Lactation counseling

Action

If you know a pregnant mother, you might suggest she consider hiring a doula.

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25295797/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23409910/

Joni

P.S. Do you know of anyone who has had a doula at their birth? How were they helped by a doula?