The Research Says It So I don't Have To

When I speak with moms about becoming a doula, they are largely encouraging to me about the necesseity of having someone present for your birth experience that can play the role of a doula. They have said things to me like, "Wow, that would be so nice to have someone with you continuously during labor to support you and to advocate for you." I know that they probably also like the idea of having another person to continue with a back massage when their husband gets too tired : )
But these are not the only reasons to have a doula with you. There is much clinical research available showing that the presence of a doula with you in labor actually reduces your risk of having interventions, including your risk of having a cesearean section. Not only that, but studies have shown that having a doula with you can actually help to shorten the length of labor. A doula can help reduce the mother's stress and anxiety by relieving her fears and assuring her that what she is experiencing is perfectly normal, and that she can work with her body, rather than against it to help labor to progress. Instead, the woman is able to naturally release more oxytocin from the pituitary gland into her bloodstream. Oxytocin is the love hormone, and it is also the hormone that greatly increases the mother's pain threshold, enhances her ability to relax or even to be able to sleep during parts of labor, and after the birth of her baby will help her to bond with her baby.  In one study comparing intermittent and continuous emotional support from a doula in labor, it was found that the odds of needing analgesia were reduced by 31%, and also decreased the use of Pittocin for induction by 50%, reduced forceps deliveries by 34%, and reduced cesarean sections by 45% (Klaus and Kennell, The Doula Book, 1993). In most major studies that have been conducted regarding the presence of a doula with a laboring mother, the results are typically that a doula has a positive outcome in helping with the labor, and there is a significant difference when compared with births that were not attended by a doula. Not only do doulas help the mother, but there have also been studies that have shown that doulas have great effects on babies. Studies have shown that babies born when a doula was present were less likely to have long hospital stays or admissions to special care units, and were more likely to breastfeed well and having caring mothers during the postpartum period (dona.org).

More on this later....