What Does a Doula Do? A Comprehensive Guide

Pregnancy and childbirth are transformative experiences that affect birthing parents physically, emotionally and mentally. While family, friends and health care providers can be valuable sources of information and advice, doulas can provide additional support and expertise that can greatly benefit both parent and baby. 

What Is a Doula?

A doula is a nonclinical person trained to provide families and birthing people with educational, emotional, and physical support before, during, and after birth. They also encourage self-advocacy to ensure the birthing person’s needs and wishes are met, increasing the likelihood of a positive pregnancy and birth experience.

A doula works exclusively for you, not the hospital or the health care provider, though they can act as a liaison between you and both entities. Some additional services doulas can provide include:

• Providing emotional and physical support during labor and birth
• Helping you create a birth plan, a tool used to communicate your birth preferences to your care team
• Helping you uncover the questions and matters you want to discuss with your health care provider
• Supporting and advocating for your choices
• Discussing pain management preferences
• Providing education 

Once your baby is born, postpartum doulas offer practical assistance and compassionate guidance, so you can focus on healing and bonding with your baby, including: 

• Support with feeding your baby (breastfeeding and bottle feeding)
• Emotional and physical support as you transition in parenthood
• Light housekeeping and light meal prepping
• Assistance with running errands
• Assistance with newborn care, such as diapering, bathing and comforting
• Sibling care
• Referrals to local resources, such as parenting classes, pediatricians and lactation consultants 

What Is the Difference Between a Doula and a Midwife?

While a doula does not have clinical training, a certified nurse midwife (CNM) is a nursing professional certified to provide a full range of medical care, including:

• Gynecological examinations (e.g., Pap smears, pelvic exams, breast exams)
• Care during labor and delivery
• Fetal monitoring
• Delivering babies

Do Doulas Improve the Experience of Pregnancy and Birthing?

Numerous studies have shown that working with a doula has a positive effect on child and maternal health and safety. One study revealed that doula-supported birth parents had:

• 52.9% lower odds of cesarean delivery
• 57.5% lower odds of postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety

According to the Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety, “people of color, particularly Black people, experience significantly higher rates of pregnancy-related morbidity (illness) and mortality (death) and infant mortality than white people in Massachusetts.” 

Doulas are trained to offer emotional, physical and informational support — and their presence can lead to smoother labors, fewer interventions, and more positive experiences.

Accessing Doula Services

For more information, visit Doula Program at UMass Memorial Health.