Doula Services

What is a doula? 

A doula is a trained professional that provides emotional support, comfort measures, information and advocacy for the family. The doula’s purpose is to support women to have a safe and empowering birthing experience.

What does that look like? It’s sometimes hard to put the true value of a doula into words, but you will feel the value in the subtleties of the birthing day. It’s that we know intuitively how to support the ever changing needs of a woman through the course of her labor, from the loving encouragement to the sip of water to a firm touch to the need for a position change.

You might see your doula as a birth “project planner,” a coach, a mother figure, or an educator. Whatever the role, a doula is there for you and you alone, so let’s uncover what you need from your doula together.

When does a doula join a woman in labor? 

They normally ask that you call at the first hint of labor and stay in close contact throughout that period until you are ready for the doula to join. It is different for everyone but I recommend that a doula join you when you have noticed the shift into active labor. This is to ensure that you are in fact on the “Labor Train” and not experiencing prodromal labor. We also don’t want to inadvertently scare away your progress when it’s most sensitive in the early hours. That is the time to spend with your partner, relaxing and getting the oxytocin going. A good doula will however be in contact virtually with guidance and support before their physical arrival.

How do I choose the right doula? 

The most important thing is to feel a connection with your doula. This person is going to be holding space for you to moan, groan and transform, so you want to feel safe in their company. Ask yourself what you envision for your birth. Is there laughter? Is it spiritual and intentional? We all have similar “doula tools” and our differentiators are mostly how we interact with the world.

Does having a doula diminish my partner’s role? 

NO! The doula is not only there for mom, but there for the partner as well. The partner knows the mom and the doula knows birth, so their relationship is a collaboration in supporting mom in the best way. AND, the doula is there to normalize birth and offer support to the partner in times of stress.

I am pretty sure I want an epidural. Do I need a doula? An epidural can be a great tool for pain management. Keep in mind that there is still discomfort in early labor before the epidural is even an option. Additionally 1 in 10 epidurals do not work, so a doula is great insurance. Your doula can also help with things like effective positioning and pushing techniques that are specific to moms with epidurals.

What if my baby is born by cesarean? 

A doula can help your family understand the procedure and the options surrounding it (requesting that conversation is limited among the staff, whether arms can be free, is there a clear drape, etc.) A doula  will remind everyone involved that birth is a deeply important experience, not simply a medical event.

What’s the difference between doula and midwife? 

Midwives are medical providers, trained and licensed to attend birth. They have the tools and expertise to ensure that baby and mama are safe. Doulas do not perform clinical tasks or exams and do not replace medical care providers. Our focus is the emotional health and physical comfort of the mother.

Why are some doulas certified and others not? 

The vast majority of doulas are trained by one of the many organizations (DONA, DTI, Cornerstone, CAPPA, etc). The basic doula training is typically a long weekend. After that, their is a certification process which includes reading, writing, CPR training, attending births, mentorship, etc. There is no single, regulating body over doulas, so there is no national board overseeing the certification or license required for a doula to work. Some certifications require the doula to renew the certification annually. Many of the most experienced and skilled doulas allow their certification to lapse, as it’s an extra cost and generally unnecessary.

You may want a doula with up-to-date certification in the event that your insurance covers the fee and requires this. Outside of that, certification may not be important or reflective of a doula’s ability to support. Remember doulas are not medical providers, thus do not require regulation.

Outside of the basic doula training, there are other skills that a doula can be trained on like hypnosis, spinning babies, comforting touch, breastfeeding, newborn sleep, CPR, or newborn care. They may have certifications from these certifying bodies as they continue education.

What goes into a doula’s fee? 

Doula support can appear to be the service within the window of labor, but there’s way more to it than those 10-48 hours of labor. Here are the things that that are built into the fee of the doula. 

• • On-Call Period – which potentially leads to missed holidays, important family dates, and appointments.
  • 1-5 Prenatal Visits that cover prenatal education, building rapport and getting to know your preferences
  • 1 Postpartum Visit to unpack the birth and help the family uncover any solutions or resources that may be required.
  • Experience. How many births have they attended and have they birthed themselves
  • Education and qualifications, which may include lactation support, massage, homeopathy, secondary and advanced education, apprenticeship, prenatal yoga, etc.
  • A network of Care Providers and services that the doula has access to
  • Their Expenses (taxes, gas, travel time, marketing, website, office supplies, insurance, association fees, commission fees, etc.)
  • Back-up Doula Fee Doulas work with other doulas for a back-up system since they live the “on-call life,” so they occasionally have to pay other doulas to cover them while they have a family emergency, another birth to attend or a planned black-out date