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So, what is a doula? According to Doulas of North America, the term comes from the ancient Greek, meaning "a woman who serves." Today, doulas are trained and experienced professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to mothers and their partners before, during and just after birth and/or during the postpartum period.
Much research has proven that a mother's emotional and physical state has a significant and long lasting impact on the well-being of her children and that of her whole family.
The pregnancies of many women are more vulnerable because they face challenges such as
- lack of sufficient health insurance
- violence in their homes and/or communities
- racism
- living in poverty
Even those women who are already receiving home visitation and nursing care have been shown to benefit tremendously from the support provided by a doula.
So, why doulas? Research shows that the support of a doula can:
- improve some obstetric outcomes (i.e. lower cesarean rates; lower requests for pain medications; decrease the use of epidurals, and facilitate shorter labors)
- nurture the relationship between mother and infant
- foster successful breastfeeding
- increase satisfaction with the birth experience
- promote self-esteem
- cultivate better communication between the expectant family and their care providers
The Federal government has recognized the positive contribution of doula care during pregnancy and labor for all women. Because of this, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services will be funding model training programs for community-based doulas who will serve low-income women in urban and rural communities.
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