More Danes turning to doulas

Midwife alternative gathering momentum

More and more expectant mothers in Denmark are hiring a doula – a birth companion who serves as a kind of midwife – before, during and after childbirth.

The increase in hiring doulas has been noticed by the education centre Doula Support Uddanelse (DSU) in Aalborg.

“More and more are becoming interested in being educated as a doula,” Anja Pedersen, a teacher at DSU, told DR Nyheder. “We can offer continuity as we will know one another throughout the pregnancy. There is simply more demand for that.”

READ MORE: Pregnant addicts may be forced into inpatient treatment centres

Public spending cuts
According to several experts in the field, the rise in popularity has also been sparked by the health sector being under more pressure and midwives being busier than usual.

There are several educations available to become a doula, which means there is no universally recognised qualification. The first of these surfaced about 10 years ago.





  • How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    Being part of a trade union is a long-established norm for Danes. But many internationals do not join unions – instead enduring workers’ rights violations. Find out how joining a union could benefit you, and how to go about it.

  • Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals are overrepresented in the lowest-paid fields of agriculture, transport, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, and construction – industries that classically lack collective agreements. A new analysis from the Workers’ Union’s Business Council suggests that internationals rarely join trade unions – but if they did, it would generate better industry standards.

  • Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    The numbers are especially striking amongst the 3,477 business and economics students polled, of whom 31 percent elected Novo Nordisk as their favorite, compared with 20 percent last year.