WHY HIRE A DOULA?

THE SHORT VERSION: A DOULA PROVIDES CONTINUITY OF CARE AND THAT SINGLE ELEMENT OF THE SERVICE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE MULTIPLE PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL BENEFITS FOR BIRTHERS & THEIR PARTNERS.

CONTINUITY OF CARE, AS DEFINED BY THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MIDWIVES, IS THE PROVISION OF CARE BY A KNOWN MIDWIFE THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY, LABOUR, BIRTH & THE POSTNATAL PERIOD. CURRENTLY THE NHS PROVIDES LESS THAN 10% OF BIRTHERS WITH THIS CARE.

NOW ALTHOUGH THE ROLE OF THE DOULA AND THAT OF THE MIDWIFE ARE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE PROVIDED BY A DOULA HAS A PROFOUND IMPACT ON A PERSON’S EXPERIENCE OF BIRTH. DOULAS BUILD A UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR CLIENTS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH CARE WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE.

IN 90% OF THE DOULA-ASSISTED BIRTHS STUDIED, THE BIRTHER FELT POSITIVELY ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE. IN THE UK, RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT MORE THAN HALF OF PEOPLE WHO GIVE BIRTH HAVE A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE, WITH AROUND 1 IN 3 VIEWING THEIR BIRTH AS A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE. MOST OFTEN THESE FEELINGS WILL STEM, NOT FROM THE PROCESS OF BIRTH ITSELF BUT THE WAY THE BIRTHING PERSON WAS TREATED. MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH MULTIPLE INTERSECTIONS, ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF POOR QUALITY CARE.

DOULA SUPPORT DURING LABOUR HAS BEEN SHOWN TO:
- INCREASE RATE OF SPONTANEOUS VAGINAL BIRTH
- SHORTEN DURATION OF LABOUR (ESTIMATES SUGGEST THE DIFFERENCE IS AROUND THE 2 HOUR MARK)
- DECREASE NEED FOR AN UNPLANNED CAESAREAN BIRTH
- DECREASE RATE OF INSTRUMENTAL BIRTH
- DECREASE USE OF PAIN RELIEF
- LOWER 5-MINUTE APGAR SCORES FOR BABY
- INCREASE POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT BIRTH EXPERIENCE

THESE FINDINGS ARE TAKEN FROM A REVIEW OF 26 STUDIES, SPANNING 17 COUNTRIES AND INCLUDING DATA FROM MORE THAN 15,000 BIRTHS.