What is a doula?

A doula is a professional birth or postpartum support person whose role is to help guide you through both the big and small decisions of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. A doula’s job is to provide you with emotional, physical, informational, and advocacy support. Using these tools a doula significantly increases the percentage of positive birth outcomes and decreases the risk of postpartum depression.

How does a doula differ from a midwife?

A midwife is a medical professional licensed to offer medical care to you and your baby. Where a midwife can make diagnoses, administer and prescribe medication, and catch your baby at birth; a doula will walk with you through your diagnoses, help you make a birth plan, and stay with you for a greater duration of your labor and postpartum than a midwife is often able to.
While holding different roles a good midwife and doula will work well together.

What is the purpose of a postpartum doula?

A postpartum doula is trained in postpartum recovery, nutrition, and infant care/development. A PP doula offers consistent support through your postpartum journey and helps ease the transition of a new baby on you, your partner, and any current children you have. The role of a doula fills gaps a woman’s community is used to when helping keep the home, nourish the new mother, care for her children, and ensure good sleep for a quick recovery and lower risk of postpartum disorders.

Is a doula really worth the price tag?!

Having a doula may feel like an unnecessary expense but in providing a 50%+ reduction in c-section rates, reducing the need for pain medication, and increasing positive birth outcomes in both mother and baby a doula can end up saving you thousands of $$$!
I think the real question is, do you feel like you and your baby are worth the investment?
P.S. If your funds are tight put a doula on your baby registry! It’ll be the best gift you get, I promise!

Will a doula replace the role of my partner?

A doula’s role is never to replace the role of your partner, but to enhance it! By providing information and emotional support to both you and your partner, a doula will help equip your partner to be the best support they can be in your birth room. As a doula one of my favorite roles is helping build your relationship with your partner through both your pregnancy and postpartum experience.