Birth Doulas: Giving Support and Comfort to Mothers-to-Be

The New York Times published an article in September 2005 that stated the following:

"Part mentor, part coach, all-around hand-holder and advocate, doulas are an increasingly popular childbirth accessory, with the leading organization counting 5,000 registered professionals in 2004".

More and more researchers and medical professionals are pointing to the benefits of having continuous labor support from an experienced female.

Doula, a Greek term, has been defined as many things form "women help women," to "woman servant," to "wise woman of birth." All of these definitions describe the position of a labor assistant who, preferably, meets with the woman prior to birth and then remains with her throughout labor, providing her with comfort and encouragement on how to make birth the best transition possible to parenthood. Most doulas charge between $200 and $1,000, depending on their location and the level of care they give.