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Doulas of Greater St. Louis is a local organization that strives to support, inspire and empower growing families and doulas in the St. Louis and surrounding area. We provide families with referrals to qualified doulas who can assist them as they make their journey into parenthood. We also provide fellowship and continuing education to our members. Our membership continues to grow as more families realize the benefits of having a doula and as doulas themselves discover the essential benefits of peer support for their important work.
If you are a doula and would like more information, please email Doulas of Greater St. Louis at doulasofgreaterstlouis@gmail.com. If you are in search of a doula, please visit our Find a Doula page. |
So what is a Doula? Doula is a Greek word expressing "woman caregiver". A doula is an experienced companion who provides women and their partners with emotional, physical (non-medical) and informational support throughout the different phases of her pregnancy, birth and/or the postpartum period.
A doula is a non medical companion during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Doulas are trained to offer physical support, emotional support, informational support, and advocacy. Each doula has a different personality and practice style. There are doulas who focus on supporting birth, and there are doulas who focus on supporting families during the postpartum period.
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence at birth...
- 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 mother's request for pain medication and/or epidurals
Research shows parents who receive support can...
- feel more secure and cared for
- are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
- have greater success with breastfeeding
- have less postpartum depression
- have lower incidence of abuse
(referenced from DONA.org)
We love talking about doula support. Please use our find a doula page to search for the best doula near you. Doulas, use our come to a meeting or become a member page to get more involved in our group.
A doula is a non medical companion during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Doulas are trained to offer physical support, emotional support, informational support, and advocacy. Each doula has a different personality and practice style. There are doulas who focus on supporting birth, and there are doulas who focus on supporting families during the postpartum period.
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence at birth...
- 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 mother's request for pain medication and/or epidurals
Research shows parents who receive support can...
- feel more secure and cared for
- are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
- have greater success with breastfeeding
- have less postpartum depression
- have lower incidence of abuse
(referenced from DONA.org)
We love talking about doula support. Please use our find a doula page to search for the best doula near you. Doulas, use our come to a meeting or become a member page to get more involved in our group.
