Doulas convention in Paris, every year
The Association Doulas de France aims are to promote and provide to parents
continuous, physical, emotional and educational support during pregnancy, labour
and birth, and the postpartum period. We are also developing a network of doulas
to share experiences, knowledge, support each other and improve conditions around
childbirth.
We have over 185 members.
Furthermore we endeavour to:
. support and inform women and parents, respecting their choices and their culture
. facilitate the mother-baby relationship
. highlight the necessity to respect the fundamental needs of the mother and the child
. promote the physiological process in childbirth and breastfeeding
. help prevent maternal difficulty, post-natal depression, ill treatment, to
minimise their impact on the whole family
. support and create networks in the doula field
. encourage women to women support
. provide a going back to work opportunity for women
The members of the committee are all co-chairs. They are women who, since 2003,
work on a voluntary basis. New members have since joined the team to help with
specific projects and tasks of the Association.
If you wish to participate in this website, or if you have any questions please
contact us: info@doulas.info.
Please allow for some delay in getting an answer as we do it on a volunteer
basis.
Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have:
. 50% reduction of cesarean rate
. 25% shorter labor
. 60% reduction in epidural requests
. 30% reduction in analgesia use
. 40% reduction in forceps delivery
From The
Doula Book: How a Trainer Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth
Second edition by Marshall, Phyllis Klaus and John Kennell (Perseus Press, 2002)
We believe that today doulas are part of the answer to birth
issues in our country, together with making the parents voices heard. We're
all working towards making labor support becoming a reality in France.
Previous conventions with european doulas:
In January 2006, the Association Doulas de France created a discussion list to
link up all doulas throughout Europe. In 2007 we though it would be of interest
to publish an accurate report on the European situation: number of organisations,
number of practicing doulas, their activites and their statistics, the type
of courses on offer ...
With The European Doula Guide, available to all, not only it will be easier to inform and
to facilitate networking between organisations, parents, health professionals,
government funded institutions but it will also help to the creation of a European
Doula Organisation and a core training course.
