If you listen my four year old daughter playing with her dolls, at any given moment you may overhear her say “Hello, my name is Grace and I’m going to be your doula.” You may see her helping her pony “push out the baby” and welcome newborn ponies into the world with loving support. Her role-playing usually involves healthy, positive birthing experiences, and nothing in the world makes me happier.

The word “doula” is part of my four year old’s vocabulary and trust me, she won’t be afraid to share what it’s all about. For the past two years, I’ve been going through a training program to become a Certified Doula (CD) through Doula International (previously Doulas of North America). In our home, there is lots of talk about birth, bodies, and babies. As a new mother of two children, my birth experiences are still somewhat fresh in my mind. Both of my births were quick, natural, and problem-free. I did not choose to have a doula present with me for my births, mainly because I didn’t know enough about the benefits of having one by my side. When I look back, having a doula would be the one thing that I would have done differently.

So why have a doula if everything went so smoothly? And what IS a doula, anyway? Lots of people that I speak with don’t know what a doula is, let alone realize the important role that one can play in the birth. ‘Doula’ comes from the Greek word meaning ‘to mother.’ In present times, a doula is a professionally trained, non-medical person that offers physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers and their birth partners. As a group, doulas tend to believe in the power and strength of birthing mothers, informed consent, and parent and child based care. Doulas can encourage mothers to believe in themselves and their bodies during birth and beyond.

There are two types of doulas: birth doulas and antepartum (postpartum) doulas. Doulas in general act as advocates for the mother and facilitators and support for their partners (if applicable). Birth doulas accompany a woman in labor and support the mother’s emotional needs throughout. Birth doulas specialize in non-medical skills, and do not perform any clinical tasks just as vaginal exams or fetal monitoring. A birth doula stays by the mother’s side throughout the whole labor, ensuring consistent presence and reassurance.

A postpartum doula also provides valuable emotional support and guidance, and helps the family make a smooth transition into welcoming a new member. Postpartum doulas can also provide breastfeeding assistance. Postpartum doulas are specially trained in mother and newborn care, and can also help the new mother with childcare, laundry, light cleaning and errands. A mother can choose to have the support of a birth doula, a postpartum doula, or both.

Doulas have the ability to refocus the mother in her toughest times, and remind her of her strength and ability get through her most difficult moments. A doula also can assist with birth plans, provide emotional, physical and informational support to mother and partner, can suggest positioning and coping mechanisms during labor, interact and support the partner during the birth process, assist with breastfeeding and especially the initial latch, and most importantly is there for the mother from the start of labor until hours after the baby is born, providing continuous support and care.

There are numerous benefits of having continuous labor support, which include (but are not limited to) improved obstetric outcomes, better breastfeeding success, improved self esteem, and increased satisfaction with the birth experience. In many cases, having a doula present directly correlates with positive mother-infant emotional ties. Dr. John Kennell and Dr. Marshall Klaus (in the late 1970’s) found that doulas in the labor room improved the bond between mother and infant and seemed to decrease the incidence of complications.

The best way to see the power and valuable support a doula can offer is to talk with families that had a doula present with them during their births. Most mothers will go on and on about the importance of their doula helping them through their toughest times, and how beneficial the support was. Even though I consider my own births positive experiences, I believe that having a doula present could have been the source of strength and encouragement that I needed when I was feeling doubtful and scared. If there is a number three baby somewhere in my future, I can be certain that a doula will be by my side, offering the constant comfort that is so important during birth.

Nina Gilbert is a Massage Therapist, a Doula, and the mama to Gray (4) and Joey (1.5). She lives in MA, and can be found sewing, crafting, cooking, or being a human jungle gym. Read more about her life at http://www.thewholeself.blogspot.com/.

“and she totally rocks!”…mindy