Home » Health & Wellness » Pregnancy & Childbirth » Hiring a doula can greatly enhance your birth

Hiring a doula can greatly enhance your birth

© Maurenne Griese

In nearly every culture throughout history, women have been surrounded and cared for by other women during childbirth. Artistic representations of birth throughout the world usually include at least two other women, surrounding and supporting the birthing woman. One of these women is the midwife, who is responsible for the safe passage of the mother and baby; the other woman or women are behind or beside the mother, holding and comforting her. Before birth was brought into the hospital setting, experienced friends and family members would help the laboring woman throughout labor and through childbirth itself. The modern doula is a manifestation of the woman beside the mother.

Doulas are trained and experienced in childbirth, although they may or may not have given birth themselves. The doula's role is to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth. The doula offers help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning. She also assists families to gather information about the course of their labor and their options. Perhaps the most crucial role of the doula is providing continuous emotional reassurance and comfort.

Labor Support Terms

The terminology describing labor support can be confusing. When a person uses any of the terms below to describe herself, she may need to clarify what she means by the term. "Doula" - a Greek word meaning "Woman's servant."

In labor support terminology, "doula" refers to a supportive companion (not a friend or loved one) professionally trained to provide labor support.  She performs no clinical tasks. "Doula" also refers to lay women who are trained or experienced in providing postpartum care (mother and newborn care, breastfeeding support and advice, cooking, child care, errands, and light cleaning) for the new family. To distinguish between the two types of doulas, one may refer to "birth doulas" and "postpartum doulas."

"Monitrice" - a French word originally used by Fernand Lamaze to refer to a specially trained nurse or midwife who provides nursing care and assessment, in addition to labor support.   Today, "monitrice" is often used as a synonym for "birth assistant" or "labor assistant." "Labor Support Professional," "Labor Support Specialist," "Labor Companion" are synonyms of "birth doula." "Birth Assistant," "Labor Assistant" - sometimes these terms are used as synonyms for "doula," but they also may refer to lay women who are trained to assist a midwife (vaginal exams, set up for the birth, fetal heart checks, etc.) as well as to provide some labor support.

The copyright of the article Hiring a doula can greatly enhance your birth in Pregnancy & Childbirth is owned by . Permission to republish Hiring a doula can greatly enhance your birth in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.