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Doula:
a professional, experienced woman who provides emotional, physical,
informational and practical support to prenatal, laboring or postpartum
women. Presence of a doula has been proven to lessen the pain of
labor and delivery and significantly reduce the risk of postpartum
depression. |
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| For almost 20 years, researchers have been examining
a centuries-old
phenomenon -- women helping women through childbirth. Continuous
support from an experienced female companion, called a "doula,”
has been demonstrated to have impressive benefits, including shorter
labors, less need for pain medications, and reduced likelihood of
cesarean delivery. These findings about a proven, risk-free method
come at a time when the focus in society seems to be moving towards
the desire for more holistic approaches in an age of increased technology
and medical intervention.
A common myth today is that having a companion in the labor and
delivery
room is adequate when a woman delivers her child. But although it
may add
enormous comfort and ease to the mother-to-be to have a loving,
familiar face present, few of these individuals have a real understanding
of the birth process.
Furthermore, most are too emotionally involved and worried about the
outcome themselves to provide their partners with the objective, calm
support that is so crucial in order to have a positive birth experience.
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Research indicates that doulas can
play an important role in the birthing process:
- Scientists at the University of
Texas found that, for women with a high risk for Caesarean
sections, the Caesarean rate for doula-assisted childbirth
was 20%, compared to 62% for birth without a doula.
- Women with doulas at delivery have
25% shorter labors, require 60% less epidural pain medications,
and suffer fewer labor and delivery complications than women
giving birth without doulas.
- In one study, the presence of a
doula during childbirth resulted in mothers being more loving
and responsive to their infants when evaluated two months
later, compared to women who did not have doulas present.
Apparently, the care and attention given by the doulas is
carried over by mothers to their newborns.
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