What is a Doula ? Your Guide to Pregnancy and Postpartum Support
- Mary Coquaz
- 1 day ago
- 14 min read
Curious About Doulas? You’re Not Alone
If you’re expecting a child, you may have heard the term “doula” being mentioned in conversations relating to birth and postpartum practitioners. Doulas have become increasingly popular in recent years, but a lot of expecting parents are still unclear as to exactly what is a doula, and rightfully so.
If you’re wondering what does a doula do and if you would benefit from hiring one then you’re in the right place. In this article we’ll explore all the questions and concerns you may have to decide whether this support is right for your family.
What is a doula ?
A Simple Definition of a Doula
A doula is a trained professional providing emotional, physical and practical support to mothers during birth and postpartum or other significant life experience
A doula’s goal is to make their client feel safe and confident, while working in tandem with health professionals.
The Meaning of the Word “Doula”
The word “doula” is derived from Ancient Greek δούλα, where it meant female slave. However, the term’s meaning has changed a lot since those times, and has reemerged during the Natural Birth Movement in the United States in the 60s, when it took on the significance we know of today.
The History and Origins of Doula Support
As such, the term “doula” has been used with its modern meaning as far back as 1969 ! Dana Raphael, an American anthropologist, used the term to refer to the fact that having a female relative as part of childbirth, traditionally a family member or a close friend, contributed to a successful long-term breastfeeding.
It is interesting to note that this practice of having companions providing support during birth dates back to prehistoric times, and is true for many mammals. This support is something that has always been instinctive for females for any species and that we’ve sadly lost as our society evolved to a more medical approach to childbirth.
Later on, physician researchers Marshall H. Klaus and John H. Kennel further defined the term to refer to a person providing support during labour. In 1992 they co-funded the first doula training organization called Doula Of North-America (DONA).
Types of Doulas You Might Meet
Part of what makes understanding the role of a doula difficult is the wide areas of support they can cover. With each doula having their own specialties and training, it can add to the confusion for expecting parents.
Birth Doulas
Birth doulas are professionals who provide support before and during childbirth. They often provide hypnobirthing sessions in the second and third trimester, and will be on-call to join you at home or in the hospital to assist you while you give birth. Birth doulas have gathered knowledge of biomechanical positions for birth, and some may offer acupuncture or acupressure in order to relieve pains.
Postpartum Doulas
Postpartum doulas center their services around care and support after the birth. These doulas will come to your home at your request and focus on bringing you emotional and physical comfort. Their services can get quite varied and bespoke, with some doulas offering healthy meal cooking, others healing rituals or help caring for yourself and your baby.
This is the core of my practice, and what I offer in my postpartum care services in Bristol and Bath. After seeing so many mothers alone and unsupported after birth, I decided to specialize in postnatal support to bring help to these women.
Other Types of Doulas
Lastly, there are doulas who do not practice alongside expecting or new parents, but instead work with people going through heavy emotional life events. These professionals tailor their support towards end of life or loss.
As you can see, the types of doula you may encounter is quite varied. Each doula will have its own approach and in order to better choose a doula to help you, it is important to understand which type of services they provide. As a pregnancy and postpartum doula myself, I will be focusing on birth and postpartum services in the next section.
What Does a Doula Do During Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum ?
Now that you’ve got a better idea of what’s a doula, it is time to focus on the core of their work. As I said, each doula will have its own approach and specialties so it’s worth spending the time to think and research your needs before hiring one.
Emotional Support Before, During and After Birth
At their core, each doula aims to provide emotional support before, during and after birth. This can be through simple reassuring presence, advocating for the parent’s wishes to other practitioners or helping cope with fear and anxiety.
My Values
I focus both on preparing before and accompanying after birth. With each family, we create an exhaustive postpartum plan, finding answers to fears and concerns before birth. Afterwards, I offer a listening ear in a non-judgemental space, and I come with tools and rituals to help deal with the rollercoaster of early parenting. Maternal mental health is a critical topic after birth, something which I pay extra attention to when providing support.
Physical Comfort and Pain Relief Techniques
Aside from emotional support, doulas are trained to provide physical support to mothers.
Birth doulas usually focus on hypnobirthing, breathing techniques or acupuncture to help during labour, and draw on their understanding of biomechanical positions to ensure as smooth a birth as possible.
Postpartum doulas on their end bring knowledge on pain relief after birth and they support breastfeeding mothers. Some doulas can also offer healing rituals with rebozo scarves, postpartum massage while others have trained as Lactation Consultant (look for IBCLC practitioners) to support breastfeeding mothers.
My Values
As a postpartum doula in Bristol, I’m convinced by the healing nature of food and rituals to speed up recovery. I help families with creating a meal plan full of nourishing foods for postpartum, and I always carry combs, scarves and massage oils. The Closing the Bones ritual is especially effective at releasing tensions around the pelvic area.
Emotional and physical support are at the core of my Mother’s Nest and Nourished Mother postpartum support packages.
Clear and Calm Information for Your Choices
One of the reasons for doulas to follow training is so that they can provide you with accurate and up-to-date information. Science has uncovered a lot in the past decades, and things that we thought true often no longer holds. Conversely, a lot of knowledge from our elders that we thought lost is slowly being brought back through doulas. It is the job of a doula to sift through all the resources and bring you the information that will help you make the most informed choices.
My Values
This particular point is very dear to me. The patriarchal society we live in has over-medicalized birth and postpartum, removing a lot of power from women. Thankfully a growing number of health professionals (mostly women and mothers) are shifting their approach, and science-based practices remain a key to avoiding numerous birth risks. I believe that evidence-based solutions coupled with ancestral healing techniques such as natural herbal remedies, ayurveda or even healthy postpartum foods create the best postpartum possible.
Advocating and Support during Labour
Labour and birth is often a time of great emotional ups and downs. Some women describe the birth as a whirlwind, others mention it being a black-out. When partners can be equally overwhelmed, it is certain that having a person who’s clear-headed in the room with you is a great relief. Birth doulas often help you create a birth plan that fits your wishes, and do their best to make your preferences heard when you may not be able to.
My Values
A birth doula can help you navigate the difficult choices that may arise during labour, share her knowledge to relieve pains and help convey your needs to the medical staff. Having someone you trust in the room with you is often a way to live a smoother birth, as birth doulas are keen to make sure your body and your will is respected at all times.
Postnatal Care for Mother and Baby
Lastly, an area in which postnatal doula can provide her expertise is baby and mother care.
It is not often talked about, but caring for a baby is not instinctive. Changing a nappy, carrying your baby, relieving their discomforts, breastfeeding are all things that we’re not taught before birth. Once the birth is over, you’re mostly on your own. A doula can be a fantastic help in getting you used to caring for your baby as well as yourself.
My Values
I consider that my role as a doula is to “Mother the Mother”: to relieve her from stress or pains so that she can focus solely on bonding with her baby. This translates into simple things like caring for the baby while the mom showers, or more involved times of deep emotional sharing, helping mothers find balance in her new identity.
Nappy changing, bathing, managing cries and cues are also topics on which I share my training and experience. For more advanced knowledge, I run mini-workshops in the comfort of your home to introduce you to topics such as baby carrying, baby-led weaning, freedom of movement or Montessori for babies.
If this feels like the kind of support that you would need, I offer personalised postnatal care in Bristol and Bath. Check out my services here.
What Doulas Do Not Do ?
As you can see, the list of what a doula can do can become pretty long. With each doula adding their own specialties and training, you are sure to find one that fits your family. With that said, it is important to know that there are some areas in which doulas are not trained and cannot provide support.
Doula vs Midwife: Key Differences
We’ve mentioned it before, a doula is here for emotional and physical support. It is very important to understand that doulas are not trained medical practitioners, and as such they cannot provide medical advice, prescribe antibiotics or perform any kind of surgery. It is worth knowing that some private midwives are also trained doulas, but this is still a rare occurrence so make sure to double-check or ask your practitioner ahead of time.
Working Alongside Your Medical Team
The job of a doula is to work alongside professional medical care teams. They can help you communicate your needs and support you through treatments. Their role is to complement, not replace, midwives, nurses, obstetricians and so on.
It is worth knowing that some health professionals view doulas with a little bit of suspicion. This is mostly due to the fairly recent rise in popularity of doulas and the lack of information and training in regards to this new area of birth and postpartum care. If such an issue arises, reassure the medical team that the doula is here to support you through her own means and that in no case would she take over their expertise.
Why choose a doula ?
Benefits of Doula Support for Mothers
If you’re still wondering whether hiring a doula is a good idea, it is worth knowing that the positive effects of their support have been studied for numerous years.
Back in 2003, a study led by a dozen doctors and scientists stated that “doulas have been found to reduce cesarean section frequency, low birth weight, and premature labor. [...] Doula intervention has also been correlated with a decrease in epidural use during delivery, increased rates of breastfeeding, and the use of safety precautions for the child. The advocacy that doulas provide can increase well-being and satisfaction concerning the birthing process, and it provides education and support. This support may reduce mental health morbidities, such as PTSD, in mothers without a support system.” Link to study
In short, hiring a doula to support you during childbirth and postpartum not only helps you go through the most serene birth possible, it also has long-lasting effects on your physical and mental health all throughout postpartum.
How a Doula Can Support Partners Too
I mentioned before that the primary role of a doula is to care for the mother. That holds true in all families, but partner support holds an important place too. Communication is often the keystone to a healthy start of your parenting journey. Some partners may also feel left out during the early days, as the mother focuses on her baby and the baby does not need anyone else but the mother’s attention.
As I talked to parents and trained myself, I realized that planning and communicating during pregnancy can help avoid a lot of problems. Together with the families I support, we craft a comprehensive postpartum plan and touch on topics related to partner support. Depending on each family, this can lead to discussions about how to support a breastfeeding mom, what to cook, how to set up a cosy nest for a soft return to everyday life. I’ve also a keen interest in Non-Violent Communication and Love Languages, two tools that I believe are key to a healthy communication and problem-solving among partners.
How to Find the Right Doula for Your Family
By now you should have a good idea of what doulas are, what they can and can’t do and if they’re worth budgeting for. If you think that their support would be a valuable addition to your birth or postpartum, you may be wondering how to start.
When should I book a doula ?
The best time to arrange a doula support is in my opinion during your second or third trimester. There are a lot of trained doulas in the UK, and it can be overwhelming or stressful to find one available at the last minute.
Birth doula will often provide support before the birth, so that you have enough time to prepare.
As a postpartum doula, I also strongly believe in preparation and offer calls to start planning your postpartum as early as your third trimester. If you don’t want to invest yourself that much, but are still looking for how to prepare for postpartum, I am running regular short, information-packed Postpartum Preparation Workshops in Bristol and Bath.
Doulas can get booked months in advance, so it’s best to start planning early and get the support that fits your family best.
What to Look For in a Doula
Honing In on Your Needs
The best thing to do in my opinion, before even looking for a doula, is to take the time to discuss with your partner and write down what kind of support you would like. Do you simply want someone to talk to ? Will you need someone to cook healthy meals for you ? Are you looking for practical relief, massages and rituals ?
Visualizing which type of support you would love to receive and start searching for doulas that align with your vision is the surest way to hire someone that will fit your family and your expectations.
Choosing a Doula That Fits Your Family
Once you have narrowed down on what you want, it’s time to dive deeper in each doula's services. Look for accredited trained doula first, and then scroll through their website or socials. Do their values align with yours ? What is their philosophy on birth and postpartum ? Would you feel comfortable having them in your home ?
A lot of doulas offer free discovery calls as part of their offerings. This is a great way to get a feel before committing to anything and gives you the opportunity to ask any questions that you may not have found the answer to.
Where to Look For a Doula ?
Looking for a doula can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to find lists or registries of trained doulas to browse.
The first obvious choice is through a Google Search. Having an extensive list of results at your fingertips will give you the flexibility to hire doulas in your areas.
A second is Conscious Birthing. It is a recognized doula training organization and the one I trained with back in 2020. All the doulas on their website have followed similar training and are mentored by more experienced practitioners.
Another way to find a doula is to use directory websites such as Doula Near Me, My Bump 2 Baby or Doula UK. They allow you to search in your area and provide an extensive list of doulas.
A pregnant mother planning for her postpartum
Questions to ask before hiring a doula
Choosing the right doula is a very personal decision. Beyond checking their training and experience, it’s about finding someone you feel safe and comfortable with. Here are some questions you can ask during an initial chat or consultation:
What inspired you to become a doula ?
This helps you better understand their motivation and values and see if they align with yours.
What kind of training or experience do you have ?
Not all doulas train through the same organisations, so this gives you a sense of their background.
Do you specialise in birth, postpartum, or both ?
Knowing where their focus lies will help you match your needs with their strengths.
What does your support package include ?
Some doulas offer set packages, while others create a plan tailored to each family. This is also a good opportunity to discuss pricing in case it was not made known before.
How do you support partners or other family members ?
Doulas often include the whole family in their care. Siblings and partners are especially important to think about before hiring any support.
What is your availability like around my due date ?
This is especially important if you’re considering birth support as doulas can get booked far in advance.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong answer to these questions. The most important thing is that you feel heard, supported, and at ease with the person you choose.
If you’re looking for a doula in Bristol and Bath to support your family, let’s have a chat !
Key takeaways
Quick Summary: What a Doula Is and Isn’t
In short, a doula is a trained practitioner providing emotional and physical support before, during and after the birth. They do not replace midwives but work alongside them to give you the best experience possible.
Hiring a doula has clear, proven benefits on your life as a parent. Having someone to talk to, without judgment, providing advice and tools to cope with the rollercoaster of birth and parenthood is invaluable to many parents.
FAQs About Doulas
What is a doula ? A doula is a trained support person who offers emotional, physical, and practical care during pregnancy, birth, and the early weeks with your baby.
What does a doula do during labour ?A doula gives calm encouragement, helps with comfort measures like breathing or massage, and supports you and your partner so you feel safe and cared for.
Do doulas replace midwives or doctors ?No. A doula is not a medical professional. They do not deliver babies or provide clinical care. They work alongside midwives and doctors to give extra support.
Is a doula only for home births ?Not at all. Doulas can support you in hospitals, birth centres, or at home. They adapt to your birth choices and setting.
How much does a doula cost in the UK ?
The cost varies depending on the doula’s experience and the package offered. Many UK doulas charge between £600 and £1,500 for birth or postpartum support.
When should I hire a doula ? Most families book a doula during pregnancy, often in the second or third trimester. But you can reach out at any stage to see what support is available.
Is having a doula worth it ?Many families find that having a doula reduces stress, helps with decision-making, and makes birth and the postnatal period feel more supported.
Do doulas need training or certification ?
There is no universal legal requirement, but many doulas are trained and certified via doula training organisations.
Can I have a doula if I already have a midwife?
Absolutely. Doulas and midwives are complementary and can give you well-rounded support during and after birth.
Do I need a doula if my family is around ?
It depends. Family can be a great source of support during postpartum, but a doula will provide you help and knowledge that is tailored to your situation. When family may focus on the baby, a doula will always prioritize your well-being and recovery.
Next Steps
Book a Free Consultation Call
If you like the idea of having doula support after birth, but still have unanswered questions or concerns, I offer free 1-on-1 consultation to help you find answers and decide what’s best for your family.
Explore My Services
By now you might be convinced that hiring a doula is the right thing to do for your postpartum. If that’s the case, I have created 3 services tailored to different budgets and needs to fit your family.
Here are quick links to their pages for you to explore further: Gentle Start, Mother’s Nest, Nourished Mother.
Gift a Doula
And if you know a mother who might love what I do, gift her the support of a doula or a loving ritual to help her start her parenthood journey.
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