Doula

Answer: D - The doula does not usurp the partner's role, but adds to it. If the mother's primary maternity care provider is not present at the delivery of the baby, the laboring woman may become unnerved and her labor may suffer. The nursing staff does change, especially if the labor is long, and if a mother becomes accustomed to a particular nurse, this change may cause her labor to falter. The one constant in labor can be the doula, who knows the parents wishes, who can advocate for their birth plan, who can explain proposed procedures, and who serves as the physical and emotional support for both partners during labor.