A
doula will accompany a woman in labour and or during the immediate postpartum
period to help her achieve her goal of a safe and satisfying birth/postpartum
experience.
Doulas
are non-clinical care providers trained
in providing emotional support, physical comfort and
informational support throughout pregnancy, labour/delivery and
postpartum.
Doulas are
independent providers of skilled assistance related to pregnancy and
birth/postpartum.
Doulas work for you,
not your caregiver, hospital.
Doulas respect your
decisions and support you in facilitating the kind of birth and postpartum
experience you have envisioned for yourself.
Having a
doula can lead to:
50% fewer
caesareans
25% shorter
labours with fewer complications
40% less
use of pitocin (a labour-inducing drug)
60% fewer
requests for epidural anaesthesia
30%
decrease in the use of narcotics
better
success with breastfeeding
less
postpartum depression
Statistics taken from: “Mothering the Mother, How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier
and Healthier Birth” by Marshall H. Klaus, John H. Kennell, Phyllis H. Klaus
