Childbirth is intense, demanding, unpredictable and most of the times, painful. It can last for anywhere from a few hours to 24 or more. The doula is on call for you, arrives at your home or the hospital when you need her, and remains with you continuously, with few or no breaks, until after the baby is born. The doula is trained and experienced in providing emotional support, physical comfort, and nonclinical advice. She draws on her knowledge and experience as she reassures, encourages, comforts, and empathizes with the mother. She advises the partner/family about how to help, suggesting when to use particular positions, the bath or shower, and specific comfort measures.

Numerous scientific trials have compared birth outcomes of women who had doulas and those who did not. In very "high-tech" hospitals with high cesarean and induction rates, women attended by doulas had fewer forceps and vacuum-extractor deliveries and fewer cesareans. They did not request as much pain medication.

Also, women attended by doulas were more likely to report that their birth experiences were satisfying than were women who did not have doulas. Although a doula cannot guarantee a normal or an easy labor, statistics show that having a doula results in less need for major labor interventions.

The doula does not make decisions for the two of you, or project her personal preferences on you, but she helps you get the information you need to make good decisions. Her purpose and goal is to help the mother have a satisfying birth as she defines it.

Yes, you will have a nurse and a doctor or midwife who are likely to be kind and caring, but they will probably be very busy with the clinical aspects of the birth, which get the highest priority. They most of the time do not remain the entire labor phases with you as they are also taking care of other patients or more than one laboring patient at a time. They may visit briefly from time to time and will come if problems arise during labor. And, of course, they are there for the birth.

One of the most positive developments in maternity care is the addition of the birth doula, who is only there to guide and support you and your partner continuously through labor and birth.

A doula cannot and does not try to take over your partner's role as the birth partner. Your partner knows you better and loves you and the baby as no one else does. But there are times when a woman needs more than one helper in labor, and when her partner needs reassurance, advice, and help. By getting to know the two of you before the birth, the doula can discover your priorities, fears and concerns and help you develop strategies to deal with them.