Frequently Asked Questions

The word Doula is traditional Greek word referring to a woman who serves. In today’s context it refers to an experienced person who provides physical, emotional and informational support before, during and after child birth.

Doula’s do not give medical advice or provide clinical skills during pregnancy or labour.

A doula works with a woman and her partner, family, support team building and safe, trusting relationship and bringing a continuity of care that is often missing in current birth settings outside of home. For women birthing at home or within a hospital midwifery caseload program, doula support compliments their existing model of care and helps to complete the circle of support.

No. Doulas are as diverse as the families they serve and so will practice a little differently from one another. Whilst they will have many shared values, doulas will have different experience and training and areas of specialty. It is important that you feel safe, comfortable and well-aligned with whoever you choose to support you, so it can help to chat and meet with a few doulas before making your decision.

No not at all, doulas work with you as a couple in pregnancy to understand how you are wanting to work together in labour and to help you to learn the best ways to support each other. Support for you both continues throughout the birth, helping you create a safe space, providing guidance as your labour progresses and hands on support when needed, and helping your partner provide the support you are needing at the time. Having a doula with you can also give your partner the opportunity to take a break when needed with the peace of mind that you are still well supported as they recharge. Partners often comment on how reassuring having a doula with them in the birth has been for them and the positive impact it has had on them feeling confident in supporting their partner.
Doulas can become the main birth partner for solo parents or where partners are unable to attend the birth.

No. Doulas do not provide medical advice or perform any clinical skills. They can provide knowledge and experience, guidance on how to find reliable resources for further information, and support you with questions and discussions with your healthcare team. A doula is there to help you find for yourself what is best for you and support whatever decisions you make without judgement.

If you are birthing in hospital, a doula can often help you to stay at home for longer until labour is more established if that is your intention, during this time they will support you in your decisions about when to call the hospital etc.  If you are birthing at home, a doula can be there with you when you feel ready for that extra support, and you will already have arrangments in place with your midwife around commuicating with them. 

Some doulas only provide support in particular birth locations, but many doulas provide support for all types of births and in a range of birth places from home through to caesareans where possible. 

Yes. Doulas can offer emotional and practical support for all types of births. A doula can help you prepare for your birth, put other appropriate supports in place and support you emotionally in the lead up.  Your doula may not be able to be with you in theatre if they are the second support person, but can often be there in recovery to support that first feed and in those early days and weeks as you recover from surgery and get to know your baby.

While there is strong evidence for the positive impact care continuity during pregnancy and birth can have on outcomes, hiring a doula does not ensure that your birth will turn out a particular way.  The ‘ideal’ birth looks different for different women, and everyone will have the experience that they need to have with that particular birth and baby.  Having a doula present at your birth will increase your likelihood of having a positive experience though, even if things do not go as you had imagined.  A doula will work hard to ensure you are listened to, respected and supported to make your own decisions about your care.

There have been a number of studies done on the benefits of conintuity of care and doula support in particular, with really encouraging results such as those below:

• Decreased rate of induction*
• Decreased use of artificial hormone to speed up labour*
• Decrease in length of labour*
• Decreased need for pain medications and epidural during labour*
• Decreased rate of instrumental birth*
• Decreased rate of caesarean birth*
• Increased likelihood for establishment of breastfeeding*
• Increased rates of breastfeeding at 6 weeks post-partum*
• It has also been recognised to have important benefits for the start to the parenting journey and the weeks following birth… with women reporting a higher sense of self esteem, less anxiety and reduced rates of depression at 6 weeks post-partum.

*Marshall H Klaus, MD, John H. Kennell, MD & Phyllis H Klaus, CSW, MFT 2002 study