What Is a Doula and Why Should You Hire One?
A doula is a trained support specialist who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and after childbirth. 98.6% of births in the U.S. take place in hospitals, and nearly all of them require some kind of medical intervention. However, doula-supported deliveries are linked to shorter labor, decreased need for medications, fewer c-sections, higher rates of breastfeeding initiation, less anxiety, and less postpartum depression (Klaus et al., 2012; Martin et al., 2015). Doula Types There are a few different types of doulas:Birth doulas support during pregnancy, labor, and childbirth.Postpartum doulas assist families in the weeks...