What’s a Doula?

A Doula* is a person who supports the mother/birthing person typically through out the pregnancy and postpartum periods. Doulas provide continuous, nonjudgemental physical and emotional support. There are different types of doulas:

Birth Doula

A birth doula supports the birthing person through labor and the birth itself, giving continuous emotional and physical support, while leaving the medical advising to your midwife and/or doctor. This is really important. Doulas CANNOT provide any medical advice, including suggestions of what medications to take, or replace the support of your midwife or OB in birth. Birth doulas can support during home births, hospital births, cesarean births, induced births, epidural-supported births, ALL births.

PostPartum Doula

Once you’ve given birth, the fun has only just begun! There are still ways a doula can help. In particular, postpartum doulas allow parents the time to rest, heal, and enjoy the newborn phase. If you think about it, when there was an alternative option, people never used to go home to take care of their babies without the support of an additional caregiver- mother, aunt, sister, to support the new mother in caring for the new born.

Abortion Doula

Abortion doulas can be present to emotionally support you before, during, and after your abortion takes place. As with any procedure that you are unfamiliar with, it can be nice to have a comforting presence to see you through the process. Some clinics will provide you with an abortion doula at no additional cost, and some doula’s provide this service to their clients as they would provide services to any of the reproductive outcomes of their client’s pregnancy.

Though in recent years there has been a resurgence in doula popularity, the concept of a doula is not new. Formally, doulas have been around for decades, with DONA International being one of the earliest certifying bodies in the U.S. However, the concept of a person that provides continuous support to the mother at birth and wrap-around support in the postpartum period used to be understood as a matter of course. The midwifery model of care often had a single healthcare provider who handled your prenatal care as well as your birth, and family members would be around to assist during the birth and in the postpartum period, providing food and relieving the mother so she could rest and bond with her baby. Even today, maternal care in other countries is much more robust, and provided as a matter of course rather than upon request, and is affordable, because it is seen not as a luxury but a necessity.

Do I need a Doula?

Such a personal question, and not a decision that should be made lightly! Studies have shown that there are many many benefits to having a birth and postpartum doula support you in your labor, birth, and new parenthood journey. These include:

Your doctor/midwife and nurses are present to provide medical monitoring and support, but in a hospital setting your regular OB/GYN is not guaranteed to deliver your baby, and during labor the doctor really comes in to check progress and when pushing is imminent- they often have other patients! Home birth midwives provide a more continuous model of care, but they tend to arrive further in the laboring process. In contrast, your doula is paid by you to be by your side from the moment you need them, and is present to exclusively cater to your needs. They are aware of your labor goals, will be on call for your birth from an agreed upon window around your due date, will arrive to be with you when your labor is active, and will stay with you to support you and advocate for you through your labor and delivery process.

Some people choose to not have a doula because they have a partner, friend, or family member that they feel will provide all the support they need. That’s great! I’d encourage you to have that person read a thing or two, and have some familiarity around your particular birth preferences. I’ll note, though, that having these people around can be immensely helpful, and they may be a wondrous source of support during birth and beyond, and it may STILL be a great idea to have a birth/postpartum doula. Why?

• Birth affects them too! They are becoming mothers, fathers, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, godparents. Having a doula allows your support person to immerse themselves in this transition, while knowing that your needs are met.

• People get tired. Yes, you’re the one running the marathon, but if your partner/support has been there for you since the start of early labor, they may well need a nap. It’s helpful to have someone else on hand so that they can have that little moment of reprieve without feeling guilty,and be fully present for the big moment.

• Birth is surprising. It is often a beautiful, happy event, but sometimes things don’t go as you’d hoped. Having a doula present can help navigate these challenging moments and ensure that you get all the information you need to make the right decisions for you and your baby, and help you cope with any changes in direction.

• Birth can be hard to witness. Have you come across videos of folks passing out while watching their partners give birth? (If not, I highly recommend it for a good laugh). Sometimes birth is overwhelming for your partner- they don’t like to see you uncomfortable! Your doula can help alleviate some of that anxiety towards the unknown, and be there just in case your partner ever feels a little dizzy 😅.

• Birth is different every time. And by that I mean, birth doulas are not just for single or first time parents! Once you know what to expect and who the people are, you might feel that you are well equipped to go about things on your own. Still, consider the ways your doula can help you navigate the space, or the period in being home (especially if you will be adding another child into the mix). Birth plans can be flexible, and maybe you don’t have one for the birth but you have one postpartum, or vice versa.

Here’s the thing though; you DESERVE a doula, but you don’t necessarily need to hire someone to be your doula - any supportive person who listens to you and advocates for you can be a great person to have in the room. As long as you feel like you’ve got the supportive team you need, you’re in good shape.

Think a doula may be right for you?