The term Doula is Greek for “Woman Who Serves.” Doulas provide emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum.

A Doula provides:

• Explanations of medical procedures
• Emotional support
• Information and education during pregnancy
• Massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures
• Positioning suggestions during the birthing process
• Support to the partner and family so that they can love and encourage the birthing woman
• Avoidance of unnecessary interventions
• Help with breastfeeding

What is the difference between a Doula and a Midwife?

A Doula, by definition, is “An assistant who provides various forms of non-medical and non-midwifery support in the childbirth process. She is an experienced professional who provides information and, when needed, physical and emotional support to you and your partner before, during, and after childbirth. Your Doula is not trained nor does she participate in any of the medical elements of birth i.e. vaginal exams, taking blood pressure, etc.”

A Midwife, by definition, is “A woman skilled in aiding the delivery of babies.” In Canada a Midwife is a medically licensed individual who can provide support and can deliver babies. Her role is to act as the primary caregiver for a woman during the perintal period, and for the newborn. She performs medical checks and follows medical procedures.

Why should I have a Doula?

A Doula is a special support person who can ease concerns during pregnancy. She is a constant through your whole birth. She stays with you and can make you aware of the stages of birth, teach you pain-coping practices, and offer objective emotional and physical support to you when you need it. If you have a birthing partner, a Doula can help them to find their comfort level in supporting you, deepening your bond. A Doula is there to support both of you in achieving a happy, healthy birthing experience.

Studies have shown the following benefits of having a Birth Doula present at birth:

• 50% reduction in c-section rates
• 25% shorter labour
• 60% reduction in epidural requests
• 40% reduction in Oxytocin use
• 30% reduction in analgesia use
• 40% reduction in forceps or vacuum deliveries

Women who have used a Doula are more satisfied with their birth experience, feel more confident in their ability to mother, bond faster with their newborn, are less likely to have Postpartum Depression, and are more likely to breastfeed. ~ Klaus, Kennel, and Klaus 2001

Not only have I been through a prenatal class, but my partner will be at my birth to lend support too. What more can a Doula offer?

Your partner plays an essential role in providing support. However the actual birth process is usually as new to your partner as it is to you. It is important that he/she has the opportunity to experience becoming a parent as well. A Doula is an experienced birth professional who knows how the birthing process works. She can reassure you and your partner of what is normal and what to expect next. Your Doula will work with your partner to provide knowing comfort, be a liaison with the hospital staff, and do anything else that you desire to make the birth experience more comfortable and fulfilling. She is there in addition to, not instead of, your partner. Ideally, your Doula, your birth partner, and your caregiver make the perfect support team for you, the new mother.

A Doula is aware of the changes that take place in a woman's body during birth and the stages of labour she must go through. Creating a safe protective bubble around the birthing women is a big part of the Doula’s role. This experience can be invaluable, especially for first-time moms. A Doula provides an environment that allows a woman to go within, while receiving moral support.

The role of your Doula is to support the entire family. This means your partner can go to the bathroom, grab a bite to eat, or if the birthing process is particularly long, even take a nap without worrying about leaving you unsupported. It means your partner can fully participate in the birth of your child at whatever level they are most comfortable. If your partner would prefer to take pictures and leave things like massage up to your Doula, they can. If they would prefer to be the one massaging or holding your hand, the Doula can take the pictures, get water, hot or cold packs etc. Often, she is handing water to your partner to hand to you - making it easy for him/her to know what to do. Your Doula tends to the details, leaving your partner free to focus on you.

No, it is not a Doula's place to decide the path your experience will take. A Doula’s job is to provide you with resources, information, and moral support so you can make your own choices about your birth. Your Doula can act as an advocate on your behalf if you like, and encourage you to discuss all choices with your significant other, but again, it is not for her to make any medical decisions for you.

Doulas first and foremost help to give you the information you need to make informed decisions for your care and your baby’s care. This doesn’t stop just because you decide on an Epidural during birth. There is no medication that is proven safe for your baby, including the Epidural, so support becomes even more important in these situations. Your Cherish Doula will do her best to help ensure that you understand the risks and benefits so you can make informed decisions. With an Epidural you are often subject to much more intervention from medical procedures, such as the use of Oxytocin (a drug used to bring on or increase the strength of uterine contractions), vacuum or forceps extractions, episiotomies, and sometimes a cesarean birth. Again, we will give you the information you need to make informed decisions and offer you alternatives, but it is up to you to decide what you feel is best. After the birth, your Doula will help you with breastfeeding, at home with recovery, and incorporating this new tiny being into your life.

This is probably the most common reason that women are hesitant to hire a Doula. Partners often feel their role is to protect the mother and baby - and minimizing outsiders is one way to do that. Oftentimes, reluctant partners will feel more comfortable with the idea once they have met the Doula and had an opportunity to address their needs and concerns. The interview process is the ideal time to ask the hard questions. It should be said too that partners who were reluctant at first are often the biggest supporters of having a Doula after experiencing the benefits of her presence at the birth. Dads are Doula’s biggest referral source after the birth!

Yes. Doulas have a special role in home births. Midwives are not always at your home during the early stages. They often join you once you are considered “active” in the birthing process. Sometimes many hours have already passed and coping techniques, positioning and eating and sleeping advice could help the mom be in a more rested and ideal place to take on the active phase. At home births it is also important to have an extra pair of hands since things are sometimes needed from all areas of the home. After your home birth, a Doula often helps with clean-up too. A service beyond value when you have a newborn to care for!

No, Doulas are not covered by BC Medical and are paid directly by the client. Some second party insurance companies have been know to cover Doula costs but it is rare. You may want to check with your extended health plan to see if they will cover it.

The cost varies depending on the individual Doula and their training. Since it is considered private health care there are no set guidelines for what Doulas charge. Usually fees are based on the Doulas experience i.e. number of births attended as well as additional relevant education and experience. In Vancouver the fees generally range from $500-$1200.

Yes, Cherish Doulas work with backup Doulas in case of emergencies. It is important to note, however, that the backup Doula would only be called for an unforeseen circumstance. For example, if your Doula is in the rare situation where she is at another birth when your birth begins or she has fallen ill. At Cherish, we very rarely use backup, as we schedule our clients based on due dates to ensure there’s no overlap. Births, however, can be unpredictable – but we do our best to avoid this.