Doulas

June 2006

The Australian College of Midwives believes that a midwife is the most appropriate person to provide care and support for women and their babies at all times along the pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal continuum. Doulas should not be used as substitutes for midwives.

The College supports women’s choices in engaging the services of a doula for additional support and believes that doulas have a place as the woman’s companion in labour and in the early postnatal period.

Definition:
Doula is a Greek word adopted for birth assistant. Doulas provide social support for birthing women including physical comfort, emotional support, information and advocacy. Doulas give lay support that has been historically provided by a female member of an extended family.

Rationale:
Increasingly in Australia, women are employing a doula during labour and for postnatal support.
Doulas who undertake lay supportive roles may have undertaken some form of training organised by independent providers. The training, however, is not regulated or compulsory.

Supportive care during labour may involve emotional support, information, and comfort measures. Such care may enhance normal labour processes and thus reduce the need for obstetric intervention. Women who received continuous labour support are less likely to use pain medications and are more likely to be satisfied and to give birth spontaneously.

References:
Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr G J, Sakala C. Continuous support for women during childbirth. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2003, Issue 3.
Royal College of Midwives Position Statement No.6 Doulas May 2004.


This College statement is intended to provide midwives, women and maternity services with the profession’s position on given situations.
Statements are designed to educate and support best practice and should never be relied on as a substitute for full assessment with respect to an individual woman or her baby. It is the responsibility of each provider to be fully aware of the individual circumstances of each case with regard to the application of this statement.
Whilst the College endeavours to ensure that statements are accurate and current at the time of their preparation, each provider must have regard to relevant information, research or literature which may have been published or become available subsequently.