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.”
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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.