Frequently Asked Questions
Hiring a Doula is not always an easy process. We know that expecting parents have hundreds of questions and concerns. Please read through the FAQ to see if we can help make this process easier for you. Also, feel free to email us directly with any questions that you don't not find in this section. Thank you.
What is a doula?
A doula is a Greek word for a woman that serves. It has been adapted to mean a woman who gives emotional, physical, and informational support to a woman and her partner/family before, during, and after labor.
We will draw on our professional training and experience to provide you with such support, and as needed, help communicate with the staff to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions as they arise in labor. We can provide reassurance and perspective in labor for you and your partner, make suggestions for labor progress, and help with relaxation, soothing touch/massage, positioning, and other techniques for comfort.
We are independent and self-employed. As your doulas, we work for you and not your caregiver or hospital.
What are the benefits and disadvantages?
Numerous studies have documented the benefits of having a doula present during labor. A recent Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, showed a very high number of positive birth outcomes when a doula was present. With the support of a doula, women were less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Women also reported having a more positive childbirth experience.
Source: http://americanpregnancy.org
What is the effect doulas have on birth outcomes?
50% reduction in the cesarean rate
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
40% reduction in pitocin use
30% reduction in analgesia use
40% reduction in forceps delivery
Improved breastfeeding
Reported satisfaction with birth experience Decreased postpartum depression
There are no disadvantages to having women supporting other women/birthing people during birth.
How is a doula different from a labor and delivery nurse or partner/spouse
The most important thing a woman needs during labor is continuous support. This means that you have someone by your side continuously from start to finish. A doula rarely leaves your side. Nurses have many other responsibilities other than you. Aside from helping care for you, the nurse is communicating with your care provider, taking care of other patients, documenting care, taking breaks, and taking care of other responsibilities. A nurse’s support ends when her shift does. The doula only has one obligation the whole time she is with you—and that is YOU! Partners and doulas can work together to make a support team for the mother. Sometimes people think that they don’t need a doula because their partner will be with them continuously throughout labor. Your partner is an essential support person for you to have by your side. However, your partner will need to eat, sleep, and use the bathroom at times. Also, most partners have limited knowledge about birth, medical procedures, or what goes on in birth. Doulas and partners can work together to make up a labor support team.
What is the difference between a birth doula and midwife?
A midwife and doula have distinctly separate roles in their support of your birth.
Midwives are able to attend both home births, birthing center births, and hospital births, and are responsible for the health of you and your child prenatally and during childbirth.
Your Midwife will:
Run prenatal tests
Advise you on health during pregnancy, birth and postpartum
Prescribe maternal health related supplements or medications
Monitor you and baby during labor, birth, and postpartum
Perform physical examinations prenatally, during labor and postpartum
Consult with an obstetrician if a medical complication arises which is out of the midwifery scope of practice
Do their best to help you have a comfortable birth, but their primary responsibility will be their clinical responsibilities
Doulas, on the other hand, are not medical professionals. Doulas provide emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy and birth.
Your Doula will:
Establish a prenatal relationship with you
Help you articulate your vision for your birth
Give you evidence based information so that you can give informed consent to things happening to your body and baby
Direct you to resources in the community for pregnant women and families
Help keep you and your partner calm and supported during labor
Use tools and techniques to help you manage the intense physical sensations of labor and birth
Make suggestions regarding laboring and birthing positions depending on how your labor is progressing
Ensure you feel confident communicating your needs to your health care provider
Provide postpartum emotional support and help with breastfeeding initiation
Direct you to your doctor or midwife for any medical questions
Although doulas do not provide medical care, research shows they do increase your likelihood of avoiding unnecessary medical interventions such as instrumental delivery and cesarean birth.
Do I need a midwife and a doula?
Doula support is an amazing compliment to the care you will receive from your midwife. There are many amazing midwives, and they certainly provide great support for your birth, however, their ultimate responsibility is the health and safety of you and baby. They need to be present, alert and at the top of their game during really active birth, pushing, and placental delivery. Your doula will stay with you throughout labor, whereas your midwife ideally will come about 3 hours before the birth of your baby.
The main difference between the postpartum doula and the baby nurse is the intended focus. The baby nurse will focus more on the care of the baby and not necessarily on the mother, while the postpartum doula is focused on the mother (and the rest of the family) so that she may focus on the baby.
A big part of the doula’s job is to “mother the mother” and help the new mother recover after birth. There is a lot of focus on education- helping with breastfeeding and/or bottle feeding support, establishing newborn procedures and routine, tips etc… The postpartum doula aims
to make the mother comfortable and confident in her new role, and to empower the parents to care for their new baby themselves. The doula can also provide some light housekeeping, errand running, and meal preparation.
A baby nurse is a non-medically trained newborn care specialist whose main focus is on the newborn child. The responsibilities of the NCS are feeding, bathing, changing the infant, washing/cleaning/sterilizing bottles, and providing any requested consultation on infant needs, swaddling, cord and circumcision care and nursery organization.