What is a doula and what do they do?

A doula is a member of your support team. Think of doulas like coaches. We’re here to help you prepare for a big, important experience: having and caring for a new baby. A doula will help you and your partner by guiding you through labor and delivery and by being present with you and your newborn. Doulas provide continuous support based on your needs and preferences. We help you advocate for your needs, process the emotional transformation into parenthood, and feel confident that you have everything needed to care for your new baby.

How is a doula different from a doctor? Midwife? Nurse?

Your doula will work alongside your medical professionals, but she’s not there as a replacement for anyone in the medical field. As your doula, I can help you access education, help you advocate for yourself, and help you ask the questions that you have for your midwife, doctor, or nurses. You will get the chance to develop a relationship with your doula and keep a consistent presence in your labor room and at home with your newborn. Doulas do not give medical advice or perform medical exams. Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support to laboring parents and their partners throughout pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and in your home during your postpartum period.

Where will my doula support me? Do doulas work in hospitals or birth centers?

There are many different ways doulas support their clients. Based on my years of experience as a labor and delivery nurse, my practice focuses on working with families who plan to give birth to their babies in hospitals or birth centers. As your doula, I often start supporting a labor while my clients are still in the early phase and laboring at home. I then transition with you to your hospital or birth center and stay with you until your baby is born. As a postpartum doula, I work with families and their newborns in their homes, helping establish supportive routines as you build your comfort and confidence with your little one.

What if I’m planning for a c-section?

Pregnancy, as well as labor and delivery, can feel like an unpredictable time. Some clients know ahead of time to expect a c-section delivery. Other people develop the need for a c-section during labor. As a doula, I am available to help you regardless of what way your baby makes their arrival. Supporting families who deliver via c-section involves answering questions, helping you understand and anticipate what will happen, helping you advocate for the best experience for you, and providing support following a major surgery are some of ways doulas support c-section deliveries.

What is a Postpartum Doula? How can a doula help once my baby arrives?

Postpartum doulas are available to provide hands on assistance to new parents in their own homes following the birth of a baby. During this “fourth trimester”, doulas provide support to birthing parents who are recovering from their delivery, offer breastfeeding, bottle or pumping assistance, help parents build their confidence around newborn care and understanding their baby’s cues, and offer guidance setting up supportive and sustainable home systems that center family bonding.