I am cynical and can see why a doctor would say that about doulas as they often are in favour of natural methods and letting a woman give birth in her own time with as minimal interventions as possible and will stand up for the woman if she wants this. Some doctors and midwives have far too busy wards and timescales to keep to and will advise things that in a more ideal NHS wouldn't be necessary just to speed up the process and free up ward and bed space.
My doula was fab. She never tried to take over the job of the midwife or the doctor. She was simply here to support my (and my husband), making sure we were aware of our options and that my wishes would be known by the staff. But she never tried to go against their advice and it felt like I had a team by my side.
I guess it's all about choosing the right doula and it is a shame that some give the profession a bad name.
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My doula was fab. She never tried to take over the job of the midwife or the doctor. She was simply here to support my (and my husband), making sure we were aware of our options and that my wishes would be known by the staff. But she never tried to go against their advice and it felt like I had a team by my side.
I guess it's all about choosing the right doula and it is a shame that some give the profession a bad name.