What is a doula?

A doula is a non-medical professional who provides various types of care and support to expectant mothers (and families!) during pregnancy, labour, and postpartum. Doulas are trained in all aspects of birth, giving them the ability to assist you with everything from packing your birth bag to understanding medical and non-medical pain relief options.

By providing physical, mental, and emotional support, doulas work to assist you in achieving the birth that you want. Rather than making a decision for you, a doula can guide you through all your options and support you in choosing the one you feel is best.

Why hire a doula?

Doulas provide a wide range of physical, mental and emotional support to assist you through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Doula support has proven to positively influence outcomes and contribute to an overall more positive childbirth experience.

Benefits of a doula can include:

• A resource for extensive knowledge related to the perinatal period and someone to answer your questions

• During labour, medical staff (nurses, doctors, midwives) will come and go as they are needed elsewhere (or possibly even switch shifts), your doula will continually be by your side

• Doula's can assist with emotional and physical recovery

• Doula's also support partners so partners can better support you!

Births that are supported by a Doula are:

• 15% more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth

• 10% less likely to use medical pain relief (including epidurals and Pitocin)

• More likely to have an overall positive childbirth experience

• Less likely to use vacuum or forceps assistance

• 39% decrease in the rate of cesarean section

What’s the difference between a doula and a midwife?

A midwife is a licensed medical professional, a doula is a non-medical professional. Both can provide care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum, but midwives focus on medical-based care whereas doulas focus on physical, emotional, and mental support. Your doula is not with you to perform physical checks and measurements. A doula understands their role in supporting you and is aware of the limitations of our training as related to medical-based care.

Although doulas and midwives are different in practice they often work really well together to provide you comprehensive care should you choose both.

When should I hire a doula?

Whenever you’d like, though we believe that earlier is better! From the time you hire us you benefit from our resources, phone, text, and email support, library, and community connections. But, it’s never too late to add a doula to your care team.

Does hiring a doula take away from my partner supporting me?

Your partner knows you better than anyone, your doula isn’t here to take over, but rather to join your care team to ensure your support is multiplied. Your doula will work with your partner to provide you with physical, mental, and emotional support during your labour experience, to sit with you, breathe with you, help with positioning, all while providing knowledge and insight along the way.

Labour can be a long process, doulas can also provide an opportunity for partners to step out, eat, rest, and recuperate as needed, without leaving you by yourself.