Doulas: Modern Maternity Care with Ancient Roots
The word doula is Greek in origin and translates "woman's servant". Many years ago it would have been used to describe a high-ranking servant in a wealthy household who attended to the lady's personal and emotional needs, including during labor. Today, this is a term applied to labor support proffessionals whose role is the comfort and care of the expectant mother.
Much of the care given to laboring women today is from a very medical perspective. Knowledge of medications and technology are given precidence over an understanding of the natural process of birth. Because of this bias, many women are not given the education and support they need to have the best birth experience possible. Drugs and modern technology have saved many lives, but they have also increased the amount of risks and complications resulting from the overuse of unneccesary medical interventions. Increasingly, women are trying to avoid these risks by choosing caregivers who understand and support natural birth, demanding more childbirth options from doctors and hospital, and hiring doulas.
According to DONA (Doulas of North America), the largest doula organization in the US, " Women cared for during labor by a birth doula, compared to those receiving usual care were:
- 26% less likely to give birth by cesarean section
- 41% less likely to give birth with a vacuum extractor or forceps
- 28% less likely to use any analgesia or anesthesia
- 33% less likely to be dissatisfied or negatively rate their birth experience"
As a doula, I meet with clients prenatally to get to know them and their expectations of birth. I provide information and resources to meet their needs. I attend their labor and birth, supporting their choices, providing suggestions and information about the labor and birth process, and providing help in establishing successful breastfeeding. Each woman I work with provides a unique experience and has different requirements.