What is a Doula?

A Doula provides continued support throughout pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as once baby has arrived.  A guaranteed continuity of care.

It is widely believed that the word owes its roots to the Greek word for a ‘caregiver’ and more specifically ‘a woman’s servant’.

What is indisputable is that we have existed in various forms of this role for centuries. Women (usually) who learnt all they could about the perinatal period and who built up a wealth of experience by watching and listening and working alongside those Mothers who brought babies in to the world.

A Doula is non-medical – we are there to support physically, practically and emotionally. We often work with families throughout the pregnancy, building a relationship over months that is deep and rich. Our meetings together give us time to delve in to the minutiae and include the whole family.  We’re able to sift through evidence based research and give you the time and space to explore all your options regarding your pregnancy and birth.   Once you are in labour with your baby, your Doula stays with you throughout, a constant source of support that you know and trust. Often not leaving until well after baby is born and you are all settled happily together.

We help ensure that your decisions are informed, by ‘signposting’ you to relevant information, and by supporting you to plan and prepare for the kind of birth experience that YOU want.

We are advocates for you, working to protect your space and mindful always of partners, siblings and the whole family. We believe passionately in the right to informed choice, and that you and your birth should be respected at all times.

What we do know now, is that this kind of support is backed up by evidence showing that having a doula can mean;

• Reduced risk of caesarean birth
• Reduced risk of instrumental birth
• Reduced need for painkillers or epidural during birth
• Reduced rate of induction of labour
• Shorter labour
• Increased parental satisfaction with the Birth experience
• Increased likelihood of initiating breastfeeding
• Increased likelihood of successfully establishing breastfeeding and breastfeeding at 6 weeks
• Lower incidence of depressive symptomatology
• Improve equity and provide culturally responsive care

More information can be found here https://doula.org.uk/research/