By Ella Dorval Hall

“A skilled doula empowers a woman to communicate her needs and perceptions and actualize her dream of a healthy, positive birth experience” (Gruber, Cupito, S., & Dobson, C., 2013).

Research has shown that support from a doula has an array of positive benefits for the mother and baby. Studies found that a mother who worked with a doula was four times less likely to have a low body weight baby, two times less likely to experience birth complications, and much more likely to breastfeed (Gruber, Cupito, S., & Dobson, C., 2013). With each of these factors being essential for a healthy birth, a doula has the potential to provide the support, education, and resources that are necessary to facilitate this, especially for those who may have a higher risk of birth complications, such as adolescents.

What is a doula?

A doula develops a strong and caring relationship with mothers to act as a support system throughout pregnancy, during labor, and after birth. Their main focus is to foster a healthy parent-child relationship that becomes the child’s foundation for a healthy life (The First Days of Life). Doulas promote healthy births by answering questions, providing information, explaining procedures, and supporting mothers throughout the entire birthing process (Alliance for Children’s Rights). Most importantly, a doula advocates, empowers, comforts, and facilitates communication for mothers: services that are especially important for mothers who lack access to information and a support network.

What are the benefits of a doula?

Research has found that mothers supported by doulas experienced these benefits:

• More likely to breastfeed
• Less likely to need a cesarean section delivery
• More likely to forego epidural
• Less stressful birth
• More satisfying birthing experience
• Increase self-esteem

Research has shown that these benefits are even more substantial for women who are socially disadvantaged, unmarried, low-income, or are giving birth without a companion (Vonderheid, Kishi, Norr, & Klima, 2011).

One study found that 80% of doula-supported adolescents breastfed at birth, while 45% of unsupported adolescents chose to breastfeed. Six months after birth, 22% of these doula-supported mothers were still breastfeeding, compared to 12% of unsupported mothers (The First Days of Life).

Similarly, 12.8% of adolescents who did not work with a doula had a cesarean section delivery, and only 8.1% of mothers accompanied by a doula had a cesarean delivery (The First Days of Life).

Why are doulas so beneficial?

In hospitals today, nurses are only able to spend 6-10% of labor time with mothers, while mothers anticipate and desire support through the entire experience to provide comfort and encouragement (Tumblin & Simkin, 2001). Doulas fill this gap by providing communication, advocacy, and empowerment through the entire birthing process: components that have been shown to increase the likelihood of a healthy birth.

Yet, some researchers attribute the positive benefits of a doula to be beyond the physical, emotional, and educational support they provide, but to be a result of the advocacy they provide mothers to make healthy decisions regarding procedures and pain management that mothers are typically administered (Klaus & Klaus 2010).

Tell me more!

Want to learn more about how birthing, breastfeeding, and doulas can support young families? Join Fara Biamonte for Keeping it Real! Birth and the Young Parent: The Trials, Tribulations, and Joys of Working With Young Parents! at #HealthyTeen19 in New Orleans, October 28-30.

In this pre-conference institute, participants will examine their own biases and judgments and learn how to foster healthy relationships between the young parents they work with and ourselves. Together, participants will review the role of the doula and the evidence supporting the utilization of a doula for a healthy birth experience; how to help young parents have a healthy, satisfying birth experience, regardless of method of birth; and how one’s birth experience can affect post-partum experiences. Participants will learn why breastfeeding, especially early breastfeeding, is important to the health and wellness of the mother, baby, and dyad. Throughout, the institute emphasizes that every young parent is an individual with their own needs and desires, and that support and education, free of judgment, are the crucial elements to healthy outcomes for young parents.

Sign up today for early bird savings!

Ella Dorval Hall graduated from Saint Michael’s College in 2018 with a degree in environmental studies. Her work in the field of sex education stems from her senior thesis on Ecofeminism that uncovered some systemic forces that perpetuate environmental, gender, and public health injustices. Since then, she has researched human sexuality and worked in academic settings with young adults to foster health, well-being, and skills to succeed academically. Ella is excited to be working with Healthy Teen Network because of the social-ecological model we use to approach youth’s sexual health and the innovation we utilize to achieve this. Ella believes that all young adults should have access to resources and information necessary to make healthy decisions, and is excited to be working with an organization providing this across the nation.