What is a Doula?
A doula is a nonclinical professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers before, during, and after childbirth. Doulas do not replace medical providers — instead, they complement their care, helping mothers feel more confident, supported, and empowered throughout the journey of pregnancy and labor.
Doula Services
Our program offers visits during pregnancy with ongoing availability throughout both pregnancy and postpartum. Services include:
- Continuous birthing support during labor and delivery.
- Postpartum visits with education and guidance on self-care, infant feeding, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) prevention, mental health awareness, and more.
- Referrals to childbirth education classes and community resources.
Benefits of Having a Doula
Research shows that working with a doula can lead to many positive outcomes, including:
- Shorter labors.
- Fewer requests for epidurals.
- Reduced need for forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery.
- Greater confidence for birth partners.
- Lower cesarean rates.
- Higher success rates with breastfeeding.
- More bonding time with the baby.
- An easier transition into parenthood.
Studies indicate that having a doula as part of the birth team can reduce the overall cesarean rate by 50%, shorten the length of labor by 24%, decrease the use of oxytocin by 40%, and lower epidural requests by 60%.