The word "doula" comes from ancient Greek, meaning "woman's servant".

 According to DONA International, the premier doula association,  
 a doula:

• recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life
• understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
• assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth
• stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor
• provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint, and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions
• facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner, and clinical care providers

 

   A doula does not :

• take the place of the mother's partner but rather, finds ways to include the partner  to his/her comfort level
• perform clinical tasks, diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions or give  medical advice
• make decisions for clients
• project her own values and goals onto the laboring woman

From: "Mothering the Mother" How A Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, & Healthier Birth  By: Marshall H. Klaus

Studies have shown that having a doula as part of your birth team:

~ Reduces C-section rate by 50%
~ Reduces length of labor by 25%
~ Reduces requests for pain medication by 30%
~ Reduces forcep delivery by 40%
~ Reduces use of Oxytocin by 40%
~ Reduces the request for epidurals by 60%



From: "The Complete Book of Pregnancy & Childbirth"  By Sheila Kitzinger

~Studies have also shown that babies are in better condition at birth and mothers are much more likely   
  to look back on their birth as a positive experience.
~There are also fewer perineal lacerations and mothers are more likely to be breast feeding at 6 weeks,
  and are less likely to be depressed.