A doula is a woman who gives support and guidance to a woman in labor (and her partner) and takes care of her emotional needs throughout childbirth and even postpartum. DONA INternational cites a clinical study that indicates that using a doula "... tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications, reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience, reduces the need for pitocin (a labor inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extractions or caesarians, and reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals."
You can talk to other mothers, doulas, and related professionals on the Doula Discussion Board of DONA International.
DONA International
