Can Having A Doula Shorten Your Labor?
I see a lot of doulas touting that having a doula present can shorten the experience and overall time of labor. I was curious to see if this is something that our clients experienced, or that was grounded in research, so I went to my reliable Cochrane study to find out!
Here is what the famous study had to say after observing the presence of a doula in families’ birth experiences:
“In addition, their labors were shorter by about 40 minutes and their babies were less likely to have low Apgar scores at birth”. (Cochrane, 2017)
40 minutes. Hmmm. Not all that promising as a ‘doula pitch’, am I right?
So while it slightly can shorten your labor, I’d be remiss if I was using that as an argument for doula support.
What I can definitely say is that the experience with a doula provides several other benefits that help with labor length, and sustaining emotional and physical strength during any length of labor.
Having a doula by your side can pass the time with less pain. A doula can provide education about the process of birth, the stages and how to pass through them with ease. Here on our blog we’ve talked at length about how the early stage of labor is the longest, and the toughest mentally. This is a great time to have a doula, who can assure you that you are totally fine to go about your day and distract, sleep, eat, and give many comfort suggestions so you aren’t mentally stressed for 12 + hours waiting for active labor.
Active labor can appear to go faster - and sometimes actually can - with the physical and informational support of a doula. A doula can provide suggestions and apply physical skills for comfort and also to help baby engage in the pelvis.
Free movement and pelvic openers can both help the baby to engage and alleviate discomfort and make labor seem more manageable.
Can I guarantee a ‘shorter labor’ to anyone? Of course not! We can make those hours easier, more tolerable, and - dare I say it - fun!
A constant support system definitely makes the difference in the birth experience. Ready for your guide through your labor? Get on the phone with us - we promise to make it a less daunting experience for your entire team!
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