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Home › Articles › Overcoming Difficulties › Modern-day Doulas

Modern-day Doulas

Guiding Families Through Childbirth

By Kelly Camden, Certified Doula

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As active labor begins to set in, Katie's contractions are becoming longer, stronger and more frequent. Her husband is holding her hand. They are not sure what to do next. The baby is being monitored for at least the next 20 minutes and Katie is having back pain. "The doula will be here soon," he says and they both feel relieved at the thought.

Throughout history, laboring mothers have received assistance from women who are experienced in birth. In the past, these women were relatives, friends or neighbors. In Greece, a servant helped the lady of the house with childbearing. This woman was called "doula." As the tradition of labor support continues today, women who assist mothers during childbirth are becoming widely known as doulas. A doula works with pregnant, birthing and postpartum women, providing personalized care and added comfort during the transition to motherhood.

Why a Doula?
Many mothers hire a doula so that they will receive continuous support during labor and birth. The assistance of a doula offers mothers and babies a variety of benefits. Doula-supported mothers enjoy shorter labors, are "26 percent less likely to give birth by Cesarean, 41 percent less likely to give birth with a vacuum extractor or forceps and 28 percent less likely to use analgesia or anesthesia," according to DONA International. Other advantages include greater success with breastfeeding and fewer babies transferred to intensive care. Mothers report greater satisfaction with their birth experience as compared to mothers who did not have a doula.

In addition, fathers and birth partners appreciate the presence of a doula. Doulas honor the partner's special role and offer guidance to the couple. While having professional labor support, partners are relieved from the pressure of trying to remember everything they learned in childbirth class. They can focus on being present for the mother. When other family members are attending a birth, they benefit from doula support as well. One new mother wrote to her doula, "My mom still remembers the wonderful way that you comforted her during what could have been a very difficult time for her." Although grandmothers have given birth, they will often comment on how dramatically things have changed since "their time."


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