Birth Doula
Birth doulas provide informational, physical, and emotional support. They are usually hired prenatally, and spend time with families developing a relationship and helping to make connections to resources and information. During labor, a doula is there as a continuous presence as active labor begins, remaining with a family until the birth, and staying a few hours afterwards. After the birth, a birth doula continues to check in on the family, providing 1-2 postpartum visits, as well as some email/text support, again helping to make connections to resources and information.
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*Doulas that are not currently accepting birth clients, check their pages for other offerings
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THE EVIDENCE ON DOULAS
Evidence shows lower rates of cesarean, lower pain drug use, lower vacuum/forceps delivery, and higher Apgar scores for families who had the continuous support of a doula. Families also had higher rates of spontaneous birth, shorter labors, and generally reported more positive feelings about their birth experiences. There is no evidence of adverse effects.