What is a doula?

A doula is a nonmedical support person to a birthing person, providing emotional, educational, and physical support during the perinatal period. The services doulas provide are specific to each doula, but generally services include providing education, holding space for the birthing person to process their experience, and provide logistical support specific to which phase of the perinatal period they are in. These phases are:

  • The prenatal period, where doulas may help clients create a birth plan, practice comfort measures, prepare for labor and delivery, and create a postpartum plan.

  • Labor and birth, where doulas may coach birthing people through pain relief and comfort measures, support with movement and positions, and offering affirmations. 

  • The postpartum period, where doulas may provide guidance on adjusting to daily life with a newborn, support with cleaning and organizing, and providing care to the newborn.

There are many kinds of doulas!

In the perinatal realm, there are full spectrum doulas who work with clients for the whole perinatal period (from prenatal through postpartum), and there are doulas who focus on one area and operate exclusively as either a birth doula or postpartum doula.  

Then there are doulas who work with clients in other kinds of transition, including: 

  • Abortion Doulas

  • Death Doulas

  • Gender Doulas

  • Bereavement Doulas

  • Fertility Doulas

  • And More!

DOULA DO'S AND DONT'S

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DOULA DO'S AND DONT'S -

Doulas DO:

  • Offer education and evidence-based information around the perinatal period

  • Assist in creating a birth plan 

  • Provide emotional support with client experiences 

  • Provide community resources

  • Support whatever decision their client makes around their birthing and postpartum experiences

Doulas DO not:

  • Offer medical advice

  • Provide clinical services (cervical exams, blood pressure reading, fetal monitoring, etc)

  • Catch your baby

  • Make decisions about your labor/birth for you

  • Speak on your behalf to medical providers

  • Tell you what the “right” or “wrong” decision is (there is no right or wrong, only what feels right for you!)

  • Take the place of a midwife, OB-GYN, nurse, or any medical professional.

Why should i have a doula?

Doula support has been proved to increase positive birthing outcomes–especially for marginalized birthing people in the midst of a Maternal Health Crisis.

What do we know about the Maternal Health Crisis:

  • Black and Indigenous People are 2-3x more likely to die from maternal health related complications compared to white pregnant people.

  • Black and Indigenous Babies are 2.5x more likely to die in their first year of life compared to white babies.

  • 80% of pregnancy related deaths are preventable

The effects of having the support of a doula during the perinatal period have been studied and proven to offer many benefits to birthing people and their babies. Here are some statistics from studies that have been conducted:

Studies have shown that having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the:

  • Overall cesarean rate by 50%

  • The length of labor by 25%

  • The use of Pitocin by 40%

  • Requests for an epidural by 60%

You can read more about Doulas Here:

As a doula and a queer and trans Black person, I am aware of how labor and birth are tender spaces where, historically, marginalized people have not always been held with care, consideration and consent. Part of what I offer as a doula is assistance with advocacy, specifically affirming my clients’ rights when it comes to their medical care, exploring ways they can advocate for themselves when it comes to their care, and supporting their self advocacy in action. 


My Approach

As a doula, I commit to not only to supporting my clients in their perinatal journeys, but to being a pillar of reliability for them as they move through this period of constant change. Everyone deserves to have someone dedicated to supporting them as they journey through the large life shift of having a baby, and I am honored to accompany my clients on their paths.