The role of doulas dates back to ancient Greece, where women provided each other with support during childbirth, according to the Motherhood Center blog post on dynamic history of doula care.
The term “doula” originates from the Greek word “doule,” meaning “female servant.” These women offered emotional support, guidance, and comfort to laboring mothers, promoting a safe and positive birth experience.
In ancient societies, childbirth was a communal experience. Women often gave birth at home with the support of other women, typically family members or local midwives or elders who had experience with labor and birth. According to the said blog, the tradition of using doulas spans centuries, even though the term “doula” has only been in use since the 1960s. Historically, in ancient Greece, attendants known as “maiai” cared for mothers during childbirth. In some African and South American cultures, “birth attendants” or “wise women” offered guidance and support throughout pregnancy and labor.
In the country, before we came to know that doulas exist, pregnant women sought the aid of “hilot” or someone who offers overall maternity support and assistance according to traditional ways. This folk medicine practice can still be found in the provinces. According to a study, a “hilot” is defined as a traditional birth attendant in the Philippines, usually called upon by the community, who assists women during pregnancy, labor, and after delivery. In a previous article, doulas of the olden times are being referred to as "babaylans."
Read Also: What Is a Birth Doula and What Does She Do Exactly? Find Answers Here
The modern role of doulas in the West began with Dr. John Kennell’s research in the 1970s. His studies on doulas in hospital settings revealed that women who had continuous support from a doula experienced improved birth outcomes. Dr. Kennel himself, a pediatrician, and his colleague, Dr. Marshall Klaus, a neonatologist, discovered the benefits of continuous emotional and physical support from another person in labor. In 1992, they connected with perinatal health experts Phyllis Klaus, Penny Simkin, and Annie Kennedy, to form DONA or Doulas Of North America.
A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support during and shortly after childbirth to help mothers achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. - DONA
In 2014, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine published a comprehensive, evidence-based journal titled, Safe Prevention of the Primary Cesarean, where they highlighted that “one of the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of support personnel, such as a doula.”
Today, doulas are increasingly sought after in various parts of the globe, with expectant mothers appreciating their unique support. Doulas offer a broad range of services, from emotional and physical support to advocacies for the mother such as breastfeeding.
Related Read: Everything You Wanted To Know About Birth Doulas
What exactly is a doula?
DONA International, the world’s first, largest and leading doula certifying organization, defines doula as “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their client before, during and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”
Read Also: Why More Women Hire A Doula To Help Them With Childbirth
“A doula’s skilled hands and positioning tools can often help a malpositioned baby find its way through the pelvis and into the birthing parent’s arms.” -DONA
What does a doula do and do you need one?
According to DONA, birth doulas offer the following:
Physical Support
Doulas recommend position ideas for comfort and labor progression as well as hands-on comfort measures like comforting touch, counter pressure, breathing techniques. “A doula’s skilled hands and positioning tools can often help a malpositioned baby find its way through the pelvis and into the birthing parent’s arms.”
Emotional Support
Doulas provide essential support to families, to help ease the emotional journey of birth and create an environment where labor hormones can function optimally. Whether the birth is fully unmedicated or involves complex medical interventions, families would benefit from the kind of nurturing and connection doulas offer during this transformative time.
Related: 3 Best Pieces of Advice We've Heard on Unmedicated Childbirth
Partner Support
Doulas are there to support every birth partner in being as involved as they’d like with the birth. Physical and emotional support make a huge impact on the mother-to-be and everyone involved.
Evidence-Based Information and Advocacy
Trained doulas help families connect with evidence-based resources so they can make sound decisions about their births.
On finding the right doula
Choosing a doula can make a big difference in your birthing experience. Here are a few tips to help you make the best decision:
Set Qualifications. Look for doulas who have proper training and experience. You may also look for doulas with certification from reputable and recognized doula training programs.
Conduct Interviews. Meeting with potential doulas can help you assess their personalities, experience, and approach to support. DONA International also suggests doing interviews to gauge conversational compatibility, availability, and services being offered.
Ask for References. Speak with other mothers who have worked with your chosen doula to get a clearer picture of their expertise.
Related Read: Bianca King Prepares For A Home Birth, Explains Why Pregnant Women Should Have A Doula
Where to hire a doula in the Philippines
If you are considering hiring a doula in the Philippines, several reputable services and organizations can help connect you with trained professionals:
Pinay Doulas Collective
“The Pinay Doulas Collective are independent fertility, birth and postpartum doulas who work together to bring their services to a wider reach, and enrich each other’s capacities through sharing of knowledge, experiences and resources,” according to their site. Their birth doulas cover the following services:
- Prenatal consultation
- Continuous support during labor
- Postpartum visit
- Access to lending library of books and references
- Phone and email support prenatally and after birth
- On-call availability 2 weeks before and after scheduled due date until delivery
- Ensures Unang Yakap Protocol is followed
- Immediate after-birth support
- Breastfeeding counseling, initiation and support
For service inquiries, click here.
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Birthing is a blessing
Founders and childbirth mentors, husband and wife Manny and Betty San Luis have the “passion to transmit, to share, to encourage, and to inspire other expectant couples to also be more involved in their pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood.” Their workshops include birth basics, after birth care and embodybirth or belly dance birth. Their prenatal and birth packages include full birth, hybrid, and virtual support–all packages include a main and backup doula. In-person workshop for childbirth preparation starts at P6,000.
Register here or book a free 15-min online consultation here.
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In the Philippines, where family-centered support during childbirth is taken into account, a doula can be an invaluable addition to a birth team. While it is true that a woman's body has incomparable strength to carry and deliver a baby, additional support during this transformative phase remains highly beneficial to a mom-to-be.
By focusing on the emotional, physical, and supplemental needs of mothers, as well as their families, doulas can provide crucial support that helps make childbirth a positive and empowering experience for all.
Learn about doula recommended techniques to cope with labor pain here.
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