One of these women is the midwife, who “is responsible for the safe passage of the mother and baby” and the others are “behind or beside the other, holding and comforting her” (Ashford, 1988, quoted in Doulas of North America, 1998, p. 1). [...] Drawing from the scientific literature on continuous emotional and social support for labouring women, the discourses surrounding First Nations women’s experiences of birth, and looking at the gaps in care for First Nations, a clear picture of the role of doula care for First Nations families becomes apparent. [...] The experiences of First Nations women was clearly articulated in the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) which cited that living conditions and lack of health care choices resulted in disparity in birth outcomes for Aboriginal peoples: 7 …lack of access to health care and transportation; shortages of food; the lack of appropriate and affordable housing; the absence of culture-based pren [...] Because of this, the discourse around birth and pregnancy often becomes a part of the greater dialogue of self- determination and rights for First Nations people and communities. [...] The next section of this paper goes into detail about the specific functions and actions of labour support that contribute to the improvement of maternal and fetal outcomes.