Twenty Great Reasons to Have A Doula
1. The benefit of uninterrupted personal care
2. Fewer cesarean sections, by up to 50%
3. Shorter labors by up to 25%
4. Fewer requests for epidurals by up to 60%
5. Fewer requests for IV pain killers by up to 40%
6. Pitocin augmentation reduction by 30%
7. Need for forceps reduced by 40%
8. Reduced maternal fevers
9. Reduced pain at 24 hours postpartum
10. Reduced postpartum hemorrhage
11. Greater success with breast feeding
12. Greater satisfaction with the birth process, the hospital,
and staff
13. Greater satisfaction with their partner
14. Better bonding with the baby immediately after birth
15. More affectionate interactions with baby
16. Shorter hospital stays for the baby
17. Fewer admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit
18. Decreased incidence of postpartum depression
19. Decreased health problems with the infant at six weeks
20. Dramatically reduced medical costs
Why not just have a friend or relative act as your doula?
This is a valid question, and has been explored by medical researchers recently.
The question is posed, looking for a reason as to why the professional doula
would be needed on the obstetrical team. Surprisingly, there are two
solid and scientific reasons why doula care exceeds the benefits of acquaintance
care at the birth.
1. Although the presence of the family and friends at the
birth was shown to be valued, the outcome of the birth was unaffected.2
2. Nurses were shown to have a positive effect for the
mother, however the uninterrupted doula quality support given by nurses was
reluctantly rare or non-existent.3
It is true that having a doula with you and your partner during delivery
can enhance your experience greatly, as research has firmly shown.
You may enjoy even greater benefit if the personality of the doula is a good
match with yours. A recent
Study4 has suggested that the selection of a compatible supporter is an important
aspect of receiving the maximum benefit from doula care.
Because personalities and beliefs of each person are different,
it is important to interview several doula candidates to ensure the best
match. There are many approaches to doula care, and it is important
to understand them so that you can ask the doula how she performs her duties
during the interview. In an attempt to outline the various styles,
the nuances of the profession have been separated into different categories
for you and your doula to examine.
You can learn about each style so that you will have an idea of what you
are looking for before the first visit, and she can describe to you which
of these styles fit her the most accurately. Keep in mind, each doula
is unique and she may oscillate from one characteristic to another depending
on the circumstances of the birth. Additionally, the best doula is
the one who can adapt to the needs of her client, and adopt them as her own
for the duration of that birth. You can use the following form with
various styles during the interviewing process with your doula to determine
if she is the best match for you.