What is a Doula?

Informational Overview

What is a Doula?

A Doula is a trained professional who provides an individual or family with continuous non-judgmental support. it is their duty to provide unique emotional, informational, and sometimes physical support for their clients comfort needs. A Doulas goal is to ensure you have an amazing safe, positive experience with the journey you or your family are on. This could take form in many different ways most commonly Doulas are known to help with your birthing and postpartum journey but are not limited to that field. Doulas have expanded our specialty fields to fertility, menopause, end of life, and much more!

Types of Doula's :

Currently there is 11 different types of Doula's and navigating what type of support you and your family may need can sometimes feel overwhelming. The easiest way to narrow down the type of Doula you need is is look at what they specialize in. For example a Birthing Doula would have some knowledge of fertility, postpartum, and breastfeeding support. Most of their their training, experience and information would be more geared for the birthing world. Some Doulas are Certified or have continuing education in other fields allowing them to practice more than one special interest.

Here is a quick break down for the 3 most common Doula's:

Antepartum Doulas

Birthing Doula

Postpartum Doula

Antepartum specifically means "before birth". These Doulas are sometimes referred to as Pregnancy Doula's. Antepartum Doulas offer professional, non-judgmental, informational and compassionate support to families or individual's experiencing a difficult pregnancy. Otherwise healthy pregnancy with overwhelming variables. Pregnancy's that have medically directed limitations.

Pregnancy Doulas have been knows to support:

- High Risk Pregnancy's

-Helping provide support to teens and their families

-Individuals who may not have a partner present or as involved as they would like.

-Rape victims who have become pregnant

-Any other birthing person who needs extra help.

The Doula client relationship can start anywhere during the gestational Time. The end of the Client relationship typically varies from doula and the agreed upon contract.

Some Antepartum Doulas have other certifications/ experiences allowing to aid you in labor. Depending on the type of extra pregnancy support a Birthing Doula may be able to assist you.

A Birthing Doula understands the extraordinary nature of pregnancy, birth, the understanding of the postpartum period, its ability to transform the individual and the entire family. It is their duty to provide unique physical emotional and informational support for the comfort you need and their goal is for you to have an amazing safe and positive birthing experience.

The Doula client relationship typically begins a few months prior to the baby being due. The goal is for the birthing person to feel free to ask questions, express Their feelings, concerns, and take action for creating their desired birth plan.

Your Doula will not provide any type of medical care, however they are knowledgeable of many medical aspects. They can help you gain a better understanding of what is to come. Break down the line of communication between you and your providers about important procedures and possible difficulties in late pregnancy or delivery.

During delivery your Doula will provide comfort with pain relieving techniques including breathing techniques, relaxation techniques, massage, labor positioning and most importantly they do not leave your side during the labor. Providing you with continuous one-on-one support.

The relationship typically comes to an end within the first six weeks of the postpartum period as each individual Doula practice varies and the amount of visit vary from contract to contract. Most Doula's like to provide one to two postpartum visits to the new family at this time. A Postpartum Doula would take over or you would extend your Birthing Doula's contract to the postpartum period if her qualifications meet you the family’s needs.

To learn more about the difference between a birthing doula postpartum visits and the postpartum doula visits please click here

The postpartum period, defined as the time following the birth of your baby, is a very special time, deserving of a sensitive approach. A Postpartum Doula differs from a Birthing Doula as they can focus on the needs of the new parents, their newborn, and all members of the household, even your four-legged babies too!

Postpartum Doula's, nurture the parents by offering practical assistance as well as emotional support, enabling a faster recovery and increased confidence in meeting the challenges of parenthood. Family and friends may respond to the new arrival with the perfectly timed call, visit, meal, gift, and set of helping hands. Some visitors unintentionally place stress on the new parents. A Postpartum Doula can help fill in the gaps and gently guide the extended family if needed, facilitating a smooth and rewarding transition.