A birth doula is a woman trained and experienced in childbirth who has confidence in a woman's ability to give birth. She gives continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth. She is dedicated to providing comfort and security to the birthing mother and her family.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence during and after childbirth:

• results in greater satisfaction with the birth experience
• 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 extraction
• reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans
• reduces post-partum depression