Reasons to have a Doula at your Birth

Doulas are important to women because their sole purpose is to provide physical, emotional & informational support during labour and birth without doing anything medical.

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Your midwife and doctor are in and out of your room as they have other women they are attending to.  Your doula however, won't leave you until your baby is born and your placenta is delivered. Research has shown that when a birthing woman has continuous labour support from a doula — someone who was not a staff member at the hospital and who was not part of the woman’s social network, women experienced the following:

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50% reduction in Caesarean rate 

25% shorter labour 

60% reduction in epidural requests 

30% reduction in pain medication use 

40% reduction in forceps delivery 

40% reduction in oxytocin use 

These statistics come from Marshall Klaus, John Kennell and Phyllis Klaus. These number were calculated by looking at all the studies done on labour support before the publication of their book Mothering the Mother.​​ For further information see the Cochrane Review at http://www.cochrane.org/CD003766/PREG_continuous-support-women-during-childbirth

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