When my husband and I discovered—surprise, surprise—that we were
expecting our first child, one of the things we debated along
with names, nursery colors, and which relatives to call first
was hiring a doula to support us during labor. I knew without a
doubt I wanted one, but my husband was less sure. What exactly
was a doula, and what would she do for us?  Doula is Greek for
"woman's servant." Today, the term usually signifies a trained
professional who offers continuous physical, emotional, and
mental support during labor and sometimes postpartum assistance
including help with breast-feeding and infant care. Many doulas
are childbirth educators, and some bring additional skills such
as massage. Unlike a nurse or a midwife, a doula performs no
medical tasks, and so is 100 percent free to focus on a woman's
(and her partner's) needs.  During the past ten years, doulas
have become increasingly popular, with membership in one of the
primary doula organizations, DONA International (www.dona.org),
increasing from