All rights reserved.
























The acceptance of doulas in maternity care is growing rapidly with the recognition of their
important contribution to the improved physical outcomes and emotional well-being of mothers
and infants. - DONA International

Benefits of Having a Doula

Since 1980, research has been done to determine the benefits of doula assisted births. These
studies showed that there were significant decreases in birth interventions including:

  • 50 % decrease in cesarean births
  • 60 % decrease in epidurals
  • 40 % decrease in the use of pitocin
  • 30% decrease in the use of narcotics
  • 30% decrease in the use of forceps
  • Overall, a 25% decrease in the length of labor

(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)





Pediatrician's Support of Doula Care

Many Pediatricians are also very supportive of doula care during birth. Read more about the
benefits of having a doula from Pediatrics, the official journal of the Academy of American
Pediatrics.




A Note to Fathers...

Dads and Doulas: Key Players on Mother's Labor Support Team
A DONA International Birth Doula Topic Sheet (taken from www.dona.org)

There was a time when expectant fathers were portrayed as anxious, floor-pacing, cigar
smoking men who were tolerated in hospital corridors until the long-awaited moment when a
nurse or doctor would announce they were the proud father of a daughter or a son. Today's
expectant fathers are different.  

When it comes to pregnancy, birth, and parenting, today's father wants to share everything
with his partner. He wants to be actively involved; ease his partner's labor pain, welcome his
baby at the moment of birth and help care for his newborn at home. A labor doula can help a
father experience this special time with confidence.

The word "doula" which comes from ancient Greek, today refers to a woman trained and
experienced in childbirth. A doula provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational
support to the expectant mother and her partner during labor, delivery and in the immediate
postpartum period. The wisdom and emotional support of experienced women at birth is an
ancient tradition.  

Studies show that when doulas are present at birth, women have shorter labors, fewer medical
interventions, fewer cesareans and healthier babies. Recent evidence also suggests that when a
doula provides labor support, women are more satisfied with their experience and the mother-
infant interaction is enhanced as long as two months after the birth. With doula support,
fathers tend to stay more involved with their partner rather than pull away in times of stress.
Today, a father's participation in birth preparation classes or his presence at prenatal visits and
in the delivery suite is a familiar occurrence. Yet, we sometimes forget that the expectations of
his role as a "labor coach" may be difficult to fulfill. Sometimes it is also culturally inappropriate
for an expectant father to be so intimately involved in the process of labor and birth.  

The father-to-be is expected among other things to become familiar with the process and
language of birth, to understand medical procedures and hospital protocols and advocate for his
partner in an environment and culture he is usually unfamiliar with. A doula can provide the
information to help parents make appropriate decisions and facilitate communication between
the laboring woman, her partner and medical care providers.  

At times a father may not understand a woman's instinctive behavior during childbirth and
may react anxiously to what a doula knows to be the normal process of birth. He may witness
his partner in pain and understandably become distressed. The doula can be reassuring and
skillfully help the mother to cope with labor pain in her unique way. The father-to-be may need
to accompany his partner during surgery should a cesarean becomes necessary. Not all fathers
can realistically be expected to "coach" at this intense level. Many fathers are eager to be
involved during labor and birth. Others, no less loving or committed to their partner's well
being find it difficult to navigate in uncharted waters. With a doula, a father can share in the
birth at a level he feels most comfortable with. The doula's skills and knowledge can help him to
feel more relaxed. If the father wants to provide physical comfort such as back massage, change
of positions, and help his partner to stay focused during contractions, the doula can provide that
guidance and make suggestions for what may work best.  

Physicians, midwives and nurses are responsible for monitoring labor, assessing the medical
condition of the mother and baby, and treating complications when they arise. But childbirth is
also an emotional and spiritual experience with long-term impact on a woman's personal well
being. A doula is constantly aware that the mother and her partner will remember this
experience throughout their lives. By "mothering the mother" during childbirth the doula
supports the parents in having a positive and memorable birth experience. The benefits of doula
care have been recognized worldwide. The Medical Leadership Council of Washington, D.C, the
Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the World Health Organization are
among the many health care organizations that value the benefits that doulas provide to
women in labor.  

The father's presence and loving support in childbirth is comforting and reassuring. The love he
shares with the mother and his child, his needs to nurture and protect his family are priceless
gifts that only he can provide. With her partner and a doula at birth a mother can have the
best of both worlds: her partner's loving care and attention and the doula's expertise and
guidance in childbirth.




Reducing Infant Mortality

I hope you will take a few minutes to watch this compelling video on reducing infant mortality,
what that means, how it is currently approached and why midwifery care, doula support, and
fewer interventions are all key!
~ Katherine Stanglin, HCHI, HD ~
Hypnobabies Childbirth Educator & HypnoDoula
Certifying Birth Doula (DONA)
Katherine@Ancient-Hearts.com
(972) 974-4604
~ Honoring the Beauty of Birth ~