Looking for encouragement and support during your pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding experience?
Wish a professional would stay focused on only you and your partner throughout your labor, offering measures such as massage and alternative positionings to help you stay as comfortable and relaxed as possible?
Want someone to be available to answer your questions throughout your pregnancy and delivery?
If so, then a doula is for you!
Doulas increase the level of satisfaction a mother feels about her birth experience as well as the successfulness of communications between the mother and her medical care providers, and simultaneously decrease the following items:
- Chance of Cesarean section
- Use of pitocin during labor
- Instrumental vaginal births (such as forceps or vacuum)
- Overall length of labor
The sources for this data as well as additional information is available in these articles:
“...One of the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of support personnel, such as a doula.”