Doulas On The Today Show

Please see this site and the writer for a great analytic look into the media hatchet piece the Today Show did on Doulas.

Here's a snippet. For the full article click on the link below.

While the mother in the story was clearly thrilled with her doula’s support, enough to hire her a second time for the birth of her youngest child, the medical response within the segment was misleading and the commentary by the Today Show medical consultant was contentious and chilly.

The doctor interviewed for the segment was an Obstetrician at a hospital that claims it has “banned” doulas for interfering with patient care, implying that doulas have caused fetal harm by fomenting dissent against medical staff and confusing mothers. The Today Show medical consultant implied that doulas without midwifery or nursing backgrounds are woefully underqualified to provide care, that doctors and even labour nurses should be consulted about hiring doulas and that the cost of doula care is a frivolous luxury.

Each of these assertions were misleading. Let’s looks at them individually.