Doulas help you make informed decisions for your care and your babies care. This doesn't stop just because you decide on an epidural. Pain relief in labor can be a real help, but you still have decisions to make. There are risks involved in the use of medication in labor.

The father or birth partner will still need support and relief, and during the often exhausting work of pushing, a doula can be valuable in lending a hand, offering suggestions, and in general, helping you avoid intervention that is likely to result with the use of an epidural or other medication, that you wouldn't experience otherwise - like a forceps or vacuum extraction birth.

During your prenatal visits, your Doula will help you arrive at an informed choice and then fully support your decision. An example would be that most doctors won't tell you before hand that they won't allow an epidural until 4-5 cm dilation. Or that the epidural may not work. Planning a pain free labor with no support can turn into a miserable labor when the epidural doesn't work or is patchy. With an epidural you are subject to more intervention from medical procedures, such as the use of pitocin. Again the doula can give you the information you need to make informed decisions and offer you alternatives - whether before the birth or during the event

Another scenario could be that you are planning a natural birth, but plan on having pain medication "if it gets too bad" and would like to hold off for as long as you can. A doula can help you do that and help you obtain a natural, normal birth.

A doula can often help moms get to 7-8 cm comfortably before they ask for pain relief. For them that is an awesome accomplishment. After hearing how far they are, they opt to continue without medication and deliver unmedicated, giving the sense of control, pride in themselves and accomplishment.