Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, birth center delivery, or home birth, having a doula can be a game-changer. Research shows that doula support improves birth outcomes, lowers intervention rates, and increases satisfaction with the birth experience.
But what exactly does a doula do? And how do you know if hiring one is right for you?
This guide will cover:
✔️ The role of a birth & postpartum doula
✔️ The benefits of having a doula
✔️ How doulas support all types of births
What Is a Doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Unlike doctors or midwives, doulas do not provide medical care—their role is to support and empower you.
📌 Types of Doulas:
🚼 Birth Doula – Supports you through labor & delivery.
👶 Postpartum Doula – Helps with newborn care, recovery, and emotional support.
💛 Full-Spectrum Doula – Supports people through fertility, miscarriage, abortion, and loss.
📌 Pro Tip: Birthify’s doulas offer virtual, real-time support so you can get guidance when you need it most.
💡 Related Post: How to Advocate for Yourself in Pregnancy & Birth
How a Doula Supports You During Pregnancy
✔️ Provides unbiased, evidence-based information about birth choices.
✔️ Helps you create a birth plan that works.
✔️ Prepares you for labor, pain management, and hospital policies.
✔️ Offers emotional support and reassurance.
💡 Related Post: How to Create a Birth Plan That Actually Works
What Doulas Do During Labor & Birth
A doula’s primary job is to help you feel calm, confident, and in control.
📌 During labor, a doula:
✔️ Helps you stay focused and relaxed through contractions.
✔️ Provides hands-on comfort techniques (massage, counterpressure, position changes).
✔️ Acts as a bridge between you and hospital staff so your voice is heard.
✔️ Supports your partner so they can be more involved.
✔️ Helps you navigate unexpected changes (like an induction or C-section).
📌 Pro Tip: Studies show that doula support reduces the likelihood of C-sections by 39% and lowers the need for epidurals and other interventions.
💡 Related Post: What You Need to Know About Inductions
Postpartum Doula Support: What Happens After Birth
The postpartum period is often overlooked, but this is when many parents need the most support.
📌 A postpartum doula can help with:
✔️ Breastfeeding & newborn feeding guidance
✔️ Emotional support & processing your birth experience
✔️ Newborn sleep & soothing techniques
✔️ C-section & postpartum recovery tips
💡 Related Post: The Postpartum Recovery Timeline: What No One Tells You
Who Should Hire a Doula?
Anyone can benefit from doula support, but doulas are especially helpful for:
✔️ First-time parents who want more confidence in their birth choices.
✔️ People who want to avoid unnecessary interventions.
✔️ Those planning VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).
✔️ Anyone who has anxiety about birth or past trauma.
📌 Pro Tip: Many people think doulas are only for unmedicated births—but doulas support ALL types of births, including epidurals, C-sections, and high-risk pregnancies.
💡 Related Post: The Emotional Side of Birth: Processing Unexpected Outcomes
Birthify’s Expert Virtual Doula Support
💛 Want a doula but can’t afford in-person support? Need guidance at 3 AM? Birthify offers virtual doula support with expert, on-demand coaching through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
👉 Join Birthify today and get expert-led birth support! Sign up here