Benefits Of Doula Support
Benefits Of Doula Support.
Doulas can impact your birth in a powerful way. Being able to walk away from your birthing experience, no matter how it turned out, feeling loved, supported, involved, and heard is how it should always be.
Doulas help make that happen.
It’s been said that the benefits of doulas are so positive that every birthing family should have one. Research has shown women who have continuous support from the same person throughout labour will be less likely to request pain relief, have an instrumental or C-section birth, and have better birth outcomes. There’s plenty of evidence showing doula care supports women to have more positive birth experiences, and ensures partners have valuable support too.
Doulas are also invaluable for parents having a high risk pregnancy. While doulas can’t replace the specialised medical care needed in this situation, they can offer much needed emotional support and help expectant parents navigate how to have a positive birth regardless of the need for medical intervention.
The Hodnett et al. (2012) review pooled the results of 22 trials that included more than 15,000 women. It looked at the effects of continuous support during labour on the woman’s experience of labour and the outcomes for the baby. It also considered whether the type of support women received made a difference, for example, midwife, doula or partner.
The study considered this question for 6 different outcomes. For 4 out of 6 of these outcomes, women and babies had the best results when the woman received continuous labour support from a doula.
When continuous labour support was provided by a doula, women experienced a:
- 31% decrease in the use of Syntocinon (artificial hormone drip used to speed up labour)
- 28% decrease in the risk of caesarean section
- 12% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
- 9% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief
- 14% decrease in the risk of newborns being admitted to a special care nursery
- 34% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience.
If a woman has continuous support throughout labour, she and her baby are statistically more likely to have better birth outcomes. The support provided by a doula increases these benefits compared to other forms of support e.g. midwife, partner, friend/family member.
Doulas lower the chances of interventions, help decrease pain, speed up labours, and decrease the chances of having a Caesarean Section.
In addition to supporting birthing parents, doulas can leave an improved outcome for babies as well. By not having as many interventions and shorter labours, babies can benefit from better foetal heart tracings, avoiding an operative delivery, such as forceps or vacuum, and having a higher APGAR score.
In addition to birth support, doulas also provide care and education prenatally. Doulas hold great value in our birthing experiences.
My choice to be a Doula comes from a deep desire to support women through the life changing experience of childbirth. Women thrive when they are well supported, confident in their choices and ability to birth and nurture their babies. It thrills me to see their confidence growing with small wins and achievements, in finding their innate strength as they navigate life and raising their children. – Claire Wyborn (A Special Delivery)
Doulas are able to provide different benefits than a birthing partner or spouse because they are trained and skilled in supporting birthing people. Doulas are not meant to replace anyone on the birth team, especially the birth partner.
A doula will complement the birth partner and encourage him to help support his partner in all the best ways, often giving them tips, support and advice that they wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. Doulas help everyone in the birth space.
Doulas are continually keeping an eye on what is going on in the birth space. They make sure that the mother’s needs are being met.
Although doulas do work with midwives, their roles are very different.
The doula career path is very different from that of a midwife; the most important thing to note is that a doula is a non-medical professional.
In contrast, a midwife is a skilled medical professional who provides care for pregnant people during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. They take care of all the things necessary on the medical side, including prenatal and postpartum screenings.
Doulas are highly trained professionals with intimate knowledge of the birth process. We work alongside the medical system to support the person giving birth, emotionally and physically.
When your provider or other staff members come and go from your room, a doula is your constant, always by your side. Through shift rotations and the hustle and bustle of birth, you can count on your doula to be your support, always there with a confident, reassuring look in her eyes.
Knowing how to start looking for a doula can feel overwhelming. Interview doulas with your birth partner, and interview as many as you need until you find the right doula. If you need help knowing what questions to ask a doula, you can download our doula interview questionnaire to help guide you along the way.
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