« Return to Services Index Doula Services - What is a Doula? - What if I want an epidural? - What if I have a Cesarean section? - Fees for doula services "Doula" comes from the Greek word meaning "servant". A doula is a person who stays with a woman during her birth, helping her to feel safe so she can more easily let go to give birth. A doula provides: physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth; advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, massage and positioning assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options continuous emotional reassurance and comfort; non-medical skills such as massage and other non-chemical pain relief measures assistance to partners who want to play an active support role so the woman has a safe and satisfying childbirth as she defines it What are the advantages of professional labor support? A 1993 study by Kennell, Klaus and Kennell showed that women who have doulas during their labors experience: 50% reduction in cesarean rates 25% shorter labors 60% reduction in epidural requests 40% reduction in the use of pitocin 30% reduction in requests for pain relief 40% reduction in forceps deliveries Labor support services that I provide include, but are not limited to: Prenatal Consultation   - Support for your goals   - Information about your choices   - Help in writing a birth plan 24-hour On-Call Availability Early Labor Support   - Help in staying comfortable   - Ideas for labor progress   - Help deciding when to go to the hospital Support Throughout Labor and Birth   - Massage or soothing touch   - Help with breathing and relaxation   - Position suggestions   - Reassurance of normality   - Encouragement   - Practical support for partner   - Immediate breastfeeding support   - Availability for questions or concerns Postpartum Follow-Up   - Review birth story, as written from birth log   - Answer questions on postpartum and infant care   - Meal preparation   - Light cleaning   - Mother/infant massage     (as time and circumstances permit)   - Obtain critique of my service Keep Reading: But what if I want an epidural?