A doula...

• Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life...
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor...
• Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth...
• Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor...
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions...
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and clinical careproviders...
• Perceives her role as one who nutures and protects the woman's memory of her birth experience.
  

Research studies reveal that the presence of a doula can lead to a:

• 60% decrease in use of epidurals
• 50% decrease in cesarean sections
• 40% decrease in use of pitocin
• 30% decrease in use of pain medications
• 30% decrease in use of forceps

In addition, long-term benefits of a doula include, but are not limited to:

• Improved breastfeeding
• Decreased postpartum depression
• Greater maternal satisfaction
• Better mother-infant interaction

"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."

(Statistics from Mothering the Mother, by MH Klaus, JH Kennell, and PH Klaus; Addision Wesley Publishing Company, 1993)