The mission of Childbearing Wisdom is to provide exceptional, evidence-based childbirth education and birth doula services that empower clients to make informed choices and achieve their optimal vision for birth. We believe that childbirth is a transformative experience during which a woman deserves access to knowledge and support that promotes confidence and autonomy throughout their pregnancy and birth experience.
A doula is a person who provides support during childbirth. They are not medical professionals but instead offer emotional, physical, and informational support to the birthing person and their partner.
A doula provides physical support by using techniques like massage, pressure, and touch to help ease the discomfort of labor. They also create a calm environment and can assist with water therapy and keeping the birthing person nourished with ice chips, food, and drinks.
Emotional support is a big part of a doula's role, helping the birthing person feel empowered and proud after the birth. This includes things like encouragement and praise, helping them see the situation positively, keeping them company, showing they care, and helping them debrief after the birth.
Doulas can also offer information during pregnancy and birth, guiding the birthing person and their partner through labor, and suggesting techniques like breathing, relaxation, and movement. They can help the birthing person find evidence-based information about their options and explain medical procedures.
While doulas will not speak on behalf of the birthing person, they will support their right to make decisions about their body and baby. They can also enhance communication between parents and providers, encouraging questions and advocating for the birthing person's wishes.
There have been 26 randomized trials that tested the effects of continuous labor support on more than 15,000 people giving birth. Overall, people who receive continuous support are more likely to have a normal vaginal birth and less likely to have pain medication, negative feelings about childbirth, and Cesareans. In addition, their labors are shorter and their babies are less likely to have complications at birth or be admitted to a NICU. In these studies, the best results occurred when the continuous support was provided by a trained doula—someone who was not a staff member at the hospital and not part of the birthing person’s social network.
Studies have also shown that the most positive birth experiences for fathers/partners are ones where they have continuous support from a doula or midwife. In one important randomized trial, adding a doula to a supportive partner reduced Cesarean rates from 25% down to 13%. These differences were even more apparent with a labor induction. When labor was induced, the Cesarean rate was 59% with a partner alone, and 13% when partners worked together with doulas.
*Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN. (2019) Evidence on: Doulas Published at https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas Accessed on April 18, 2023.