Doulas provide non-medical support to pregnant people and their families before, during and after childbirth. This support can help families handle the physical, emotional and practical issues that surround childbirth.

Studies have found doula support leads to better labor and birthing experiences, as well as better birth outcomes. People giving birth with support from a doula are less likely to:

• Have an instrumental vaginal birth or cesarean section
• Have their labor induced
• Receive pain medications

They are also more likely to:

• Have a shorter labor
• Initiate breastfeeding earlier and breastfeed for longer
• Have positive feelings about their birth experience
• Have better mother-baby bonding

These doulas meet with you before and after childbirth to help prepare you for birth, breastfeeding and parenting.

During labor and birth, birth doulas can help you stay comfortable by providing comforting touch and guidance on breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning. Immediately after birth, they can show you how to maintain skin-to-skin contact and breastfeed your baby.

Birth doulas can also help you with hospital policies and encourage respectful communication between families and hospital staff.

These doulas begin their work with families in the first few days after childbirth. They can provide evidence-based information on physical recovery from birth, emotional well-being, infant feeding and parent-infant bonding. They can also help with cooking and other household duties. This support gives you the time you need to rest and focus on your baby.

A postpartum doula can also help you understand what you can expect from your baby and provide infant-soothing and coping skills.

You can get free or low-cost support by using a community-based doula. These doulas are trained to focus on the needs of specific communities that historically have had worse birth outcomes. They often share the same background, culture and language as their clients.

Community-based doula programs conduct home visits and offer a wider array of services and referrals for people who need more support. The relationship that develops during home visits can be particularly helpful for clients looking to expand their social support network.

These doulas are trained to address all the needs of their clients, including referrals to food pantries, housing programs and sources for free diapers.

Most people pay out of pocket for doula services. Some insurance companies cover at least part of doula costs. To find out if your insurance covers doula support, speak with your insurance provider.

If you have a pre-tax account, such as a Healthcare Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account, you may be able to use it to pay for doula support.

Many doulas practice independently, but some are also part of a doula organization. These groups may offer services at various prices, based on the amount of experience the doula has or the client’s income. Some organizations also provide free services, funded by government programs, grants or donations.

A doula (DOO-la) is someone trained to understand birth and labor and to help establish breastfeeding. Doula is a title that goes all the way back to ancient Greek times, but the practice has been making a comeback. Although not medically trained, a doula focuses on “mothering the mother.” The doula works with family members to support the new mother. Postpartum doulas help moms in those first few weeks after childbirth.

The mission of the Doulas Organization of North America (DONA) is to ensure that any woman who wants a doula has one, regardless of financial status. For more information, visit the DONA International website.

You will see your prenatal care provider many times before you have your baby. So you want to be sure that the person you choose has a good reputation, and listens to and respects you. You will want to find out if the doctor or midwife can deliver your baby in the place you want to give birth, such as a specific hospital or birthing center. Your provider also should be willing and able to give you the information and support you need to make an informed choice about whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed.

Health care providers that care for women during pregnancy include:

• Obstetricians (OB) are medical doctors who specialize in the care of pregnant women and in delivering babies. OBs also have special training in surgery so they are also able to do a cesarean delivery. Women who have health problems or are at risk for pregnancy complications should see an obstetrician. Women with the highest risk pregnancies might need special care from a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.
• Family practice doctors are medical doctors who provide care for the whole family through all stages of life. This includes care during pregnancy and delivery, and following birth. Most family practice doctors cannot perform cesarean deliveries.
• A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) and certified professional midwife (CPM) are trained to provide pregnancy and postpartum care. Midwives can be a good option for healthy women at low risk for problems during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. A CNM is educated in both nursing and midwifery. Most CNMs practice in hospitals and birth centers. A CPM is required to have experience delivering babies in home settings because most CPMs practice in homes and birthing centers. All midwives should have a back-up plan with an obstetrician in case of a problem or emergency.

Ask your primary care doctor, friends, and family members for provider recommendations. When making your choice, think about:

• Reputation
• Personality and bedside manner
• The provider's gender and age
• Office location and hours
• Whether you always will be seen by the same provider during office checkups and delivery
• Who covers for the provider when she or he is not available
• Where you want to deliver
• How the provider handles phone consultations and after-hour calls

What is a doula?

A doula (DOO-luh) is a professional labor coach, who gives physical and emotional support to women during labor and delivery. They offer advice on breathing, relaxation, movement, and positioning. Doulas also give emotional support and comfort to women and their partners during labor and birth. Doulas and midwives often work together during a woman's labor. A recent study showed that continuous doula support during labor was linked to shorter labors and much lower use of:

• Pain medicines
• Oxytocin (ok-see-TOHS-uhn) (medicine to help labor progress)
• Cesarean delivery

Check with your health insurance company to find out if they will cover the cost of a doula. When choosing a doula, find out if she is certified by Doulas of North America (DONA) or another professional group.