What does a doula do?
A doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and after birth. Doulas don't perform clinical tasks — they work alongside your medical team.
A doula's role is to support — not replace — your clinical care team (OB, midwife, nurses).
Birth doula
- 1–2 prenatal visits
- Continuous labor support: comfort measures, positioning, breathing, advocacy
- 1–2 postpartum follow-ups
Postpartum doula
- In-home support in the first 6 weeks
- Newborn care, feeding support, light household help, parent recovery
Research from Cochrane and ACOG shows continuous labor support is associated with shorter labor, fewer interventions, and higher satisfaction.
Educational content, not medical advice.