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 Childbirth Professionals
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What Is A Doula (Childbirth Assistant)?

The word "Doula" is Greek for female servant · A Birth Assistant (or doula) is a health care professional who provides continuous physical and emotional support to birthing women and families from early labor until after the baby is born.

A Birth Assistant

  • offers practical suggestions for comfort, pain management, and to enhance the progress of labor.
  • helps ease the transition to the hospital, ensuring continuity of care through changing nursing shifts and alternating physician or midwife schedules
  • serves as a liaison between the laboring couple and their medical care providers to facilitate communication and decision making
  • meets with expectant couples during pregnancy to understand their plans for the birth and to offer resources and information
  • is a woman who understands and trusts the process of birth, and who has experience and training in providing labor support
  • encourages and supports the informed choices of her clients and serves women giving birth in a variety of settings
  • works with the family to inspire confidence in a woman's ability to give birth in her own best way.

Why Choose a Doula (Childbirth Assistant)?

 Birth Assistants Help Women Have Easier and Safer Births

The medical advantages of professional labor support have been validated in six controlled studies, published separately in The British Medical Journal, The British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and The Journal of the American Medical Association. A meta-analysis of these six studies concludes that the presence of a Birth Assistant resulted in the following:

  • decrease in the overall cesarean rate by 50%
  • decrease in the length of labor by 25%
  • decrease in the use of oxytocin by 40%
  • decrease in mothers' requests for pain medication by 30%
  • decrease in the need for forceps by 40%
  • decrease in requests for epidurals by 60%
    -Klaus, Kennell, Klaus, 1993 Mothering the Mother


Birth Assistants Help Partners Share the Experience With Confidence

Rather than replace the father as primary support person, the Birth Assistant's presence frees him so he can direct his attention to loving and supporting his partner. Most fathers appreciate the support of someone who is experienced in working with laboring mothers and who can reassure him that his partner's experience and pain is normal.

Birth Assistants Help Families Feel More Satisfied With Their Birth Experience

Many parents today realize that birth is a significant event in the life of their family. A Birth Assistant offers individualized care to enhance and honor this experience. A Birth Assistant helps minimize anxiety of the unknown; she keeps the parents' wishes in perspective and sees that they are honored whenever possible; she affirms and works through the joyous accomplishments as well as the challenges of giving birth.

How Do I Find a Doula In Southeastern Wisconsin?

C.A.R.E. Network doulas are listed in the left hand column of this page. Simply click on any name to read about her and get her contact information.

In addition to the C.A.R.E. Network, you may wish to try www.wisconsindoulas.net for doulas in the Madison area.

What Questions Do I Ask a Doula?

The relationship between parents and their birth assistant is a very personal one. Interviewing several birth assistants will allow you to learn about their professional qualifications and services offered. In addition, the parents will find out if the Birth Assistant has values compatible with their own and personal qualities they desire.

Because of the individualized nature of birth assistance, there is a wide range of services provided. The experience, philosophy, and fees may very greatly between members of our organization.

Points to consider before interviewing a Birth Assistant:

  • What kind of birth am I hoping for?
  • What things are most important to me during the labor and delivery?
  • Why do I want a Birth Assistant/Doula?
  • What do I expect from a Birth Assistant/Doula?


Possible questions to ask a prospective Birth Assistant:

  • Why did you become a Birth Assistant/Doula?
  • What is your training and experience as a Doula?
  • Describe the services you provide. what is different from what my partner and the hospital staff can provide?
  • Have you ever worked with my doctor/midwife? What was the experience like?
  • What are your ideas and experience regarding communication and advocacy in a hospital setting?
  • How many births have you attended? Over what time span? What was your role?
  • How can you be reached when I am in labor?
  • What arrangements do yo have for back-up?
  • What are your fees?
  • Do you provide references?H

How Do I Become a Doula?

National Certification Programs: