19 Reasons Doula's Are Amazing

What is a doula? A doula is an ancient greek word meaning "woman who serves." A doula gives families physical, emotional and informational support leading up to and during birth. While a woman is lost in labour, she may not know exactly what is going on around her, but she can still feel everything happening. One of the greatest contributions a doula can make in labour, is for that woman to feel her love and support beside her through her labour journey.

It is actually proven that the presence of a doula at your birth results in shorter labour times, fewer complications (including reduction of forceps, vacuum extraction and c-sections), decreased use of pain management drugs and decreased need of labour inducing drugs like pitocin.  

These photos show the true love and service of a doula. 

A good doula has a sense of humour when it is needed and keeps that woman laughing through early labour.

A doula is with you from the start of labour to a couple hours after your baby is born. This doula walked the halls with her client, timing her contractions with her phone and being a constant physical support until her husband joined her later on.

This doula was with this mom all night long. Even with no sleep, she still held her hand and didn't let her see how tired she might also be.

This doula was good with her hands and lovingly rubbed this woman's hands and feet.

A great doula works together with dad and lets him support mom from the front while she might support mom from behind.

This doula had a hand mirror in her doula bag, and when baby's head was starting to be visible, she pulled out her mirror so mom could see what everyone else was seeing. Not only did she reach down and feel her baby being born, she could see her baby being born.

A doula is a pro at applying back pressure (also known as the "double hip squeeze") which helps minimize the intensity of back pain during labour.

A doula often comes with a bag full of tricks. This doula had a great tool for mom to pull while she was pushing (a very effective way to speed up pushing.)

Sometimes your doula is the one who thinks to pick up your camera and document your birth. This doula took video with mom's phone, while I captured the story in photographs.

A doula is the person to think to drape a blanket over you so you feel covered during labour. (They also know where the warm blankets are kept and can grab you a warm blanket as often as you want.)

A doula keeps dad informed so he understands what is happening during the process of birth.

Sometimes at a homebirth, a doula's roll is to keep your toddler included and occupied, make you a snack, or keep your water filled. This doula actually was the only one present at this homebirth during delivery and talked mom through catching her own baby.

A doula is great at massage and has a knowledge of pressure points that may help progress labour.

A doula knows the amazing feeling of a cold cloth on your head.

A doula often comes to birth with a bag of tricks. This doula used her homeopathics kit to help calm and relax mom.

A doula is a great resource to suggest a new labour position. Water is such a great tool in labour and this doula held the shower nozzle so the water was perfectly centered on mom's back.

Many doula's use tens units to help provide pain relief for mom in labour.

A doula helps with breastfeeding so you establish a good latch the first time your baby nurses.

A doula always has an extra loving hand to hold your legs and feet while you are pushing.

A doula offers words of encouragement between contractions.

Mother's who've had doula's report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and lower rate of post partum depression.  Studies have also shown that babies born with a doula present tend to have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries and breastfeed easier. 

Jaydene Freund is a doula and birth photographer located in Vancouver, Fraser Valley. 
​Follow her on Instagram and Facebook. 

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