Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • There are different types of doulas. (birth, antepartum, postpartum, bereavement doulas)
  • You can hire a doula at any time, although most clients book very early in their pregnancies to assure availability.
  • Birth doulas assist in a wide variety of birth situations: women who want no or little intervention during labor, women who want epidurals or other pain medications, women delivering via VBAC, women having scheduled cesarean sections.
  • Birth doulas use many different ways to help a woman in labor (breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, massage, and laboring positions).
  • A birth doula acts as an advocate for the mother, encouraging and helping her obtain specific goals she might have for her birth.
  • A birth doula wants to create a safe and positive environment for the laboring women.
  • A birth doula values a positive relationship with the laboring woman, her spouse/partner, her family and the medical/care providers she has at her birth.
  • Women who received continuous support by a birth doula were found to have shorter labors by about 40 minutes and their babies were less likely to have low Apgar scores at birth.
  • 31% decrease in the use of Pitocin with a birth doula.
  • 28% decrease in the risk of C-section with a birth doula.
  • 12% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth with a birth doula.
  • 9% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief with a birth doula.
  • 14% decrease in the risk of newborns being admitted to a special care nursery with a birth doula.
  • 34% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience with a birth doula.
  • Birth doulas DO NOT replace the spouse/partner at a birth. Doulas are there to support not only the laboring woman but also the other people chosen to be there.