Today, in my CLC training, we were talking about how we can, as lactation counselors, support exclusive breastfeeding while mothers are in the hospitals after they have had their babies. One of the ways, is for mothers to hire a birth doula. Studies have shown that the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding at one month was higher if mothers had a doula in labor. Having a doula at your birth can lower your chance of the use of labor medications and c-sections, which can be a barrier to breastfeeding.
This is what the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine recommends about doulas in protocol #15:
"Continuous support in labor, ideally by a trained doula, reduces the need for pharmacologic pain management in labor, decreases instrumented delivery and Cesarean section, and leads to improved breastfeeding outcomes both in the immediate postpartum period and several weeks after birth."
On a side note: Separation of mother and baby in the first 1-2 hours after birth has a more profound negative effect on breastfeeding than medication. So, if you do use labor medication or have a c-section, be sure to have lots and lots of skin-to-skin after your baby is delivered.
Skin-to-skin is one of the most powerful steps in influencing breastfeeding outcomes.
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