I want doulas allowed in the labor and delivery rooms at all Texas hospitals.
I want doulas allowed in the labor and delivery rooms at all Texas hospitals.
Why this petition matters
As a certified labor doula it is my belief that all women who want doula support during their labors should be able to have a doula of their choice to attend their births in a hospital setting. Doulas should not be considered visitors but birth support for the mothers and fathers who have hired them for that very purpose.
As doulas, our clients hire us specifically to provide emotional and informational support in an unfamiliar institutional setting that carries its own well- documented and well- reported risks to birthing persons and their babies. As ACOG has acknowledged: “Evidence suggests that, in addition to regular nursing care, continuous one-to-one emotional support provided by support personnel, such as a doula, is associated with improved outcomes for women in labor.” COVID-19 does not change the inherent risk of giving birth in the USA, but doulas do.
AWHONN supports doulas as partners in care and acknowledges their ability to provide physical, emotional, and partner support to women. AWHONN opposes hospital policies that restrict the presence of a doula in the inpatient setting during an infectious disease outbreak.
Decision Makers
- Hospitals
- Obstetricians