What is a doula?

A birth doula is a non-medical professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to women and their partners during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. 

Roles and Responsibilities: 

  • Emotional Support: Offering comfort, encouragement, and emotional grounding during labor. 

  • Physical Support: Assisting with pain management techniques, such as massage, breathing exercises, and positioning. 

  • Informational Support: Providing evidence-based information about labor and birth options. 

  • Advocacy: Communicating the couple's wishes to healthcare providers and ensuring their preferences are respected. 

  • Postpartum Support: Helping with breastfeeding, newborn care, and emotional recovery. 

Benefits of Using a Birth Doula: Reduced labor duration and pain, Increased satisfaction with the birth experience, Improved breastfeeding outcomes, and Enhanced emotional well-being for the mother and family. 

Note: Doulas do not provide medical care or deliver babies. They work in collaboration with healthcare professionals to support the birthing process. 

A black and white close-up photo of a young child breastfeeding from a woman, capturing the intimate moment.

What is a postpartum doula?

A postpartum doula provides emotional, physical, and practical support to families after the birth of a baby. Their primary responsibilities include: 

Emotional Support: 

  • Providing emotional companionship and support to the mother

  • Assisting with postpartum adjustment and bonding

  • Offering guidance on managing postpartum emotions, such as anxiety and depression

  • Asses and monitor for PMADS (postpartum mood and anxiety disorder

Physical Support: 

  • Helping with breastfeeding/ bottle feeding and infant care

  • Assisting with light housework, such as cooking a light meal for the birth mother, light cleaning, and laundry

  • Providing physical therapy exercises and massage

  • Ensuring the mother gets adequate rest and nutrition

  • Practical Support: 

  • Coordinating with healthcare providers and other professionals

  • Making referrals to providers

  • Running errands and making appointments

  • Setting up and maintaining the baby's nursery

  • Providing information and resources on infant care and parenting

Additional Responsibilities: 

  • Can help with postpartum recovery from cesarean delivery or other complications 

  • Overnight support to allow parents to get uninterrupted sleep with the exception of when baby needs to eat if exclusively breast feeding

Overall, a postpartum doula aims to create a supportive and nurturing environment for families during the postpartum period, allowing them to focus on bonding with their baby and recovering from childbirth. 

Top-down view of a baby lying on a blanket, crying or yawning, with an adult holding them. Bottom-up view of another person lying on the floor, covered with blankets, with hands resting on their stomach.

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