Why Every Family Deserves a Birth Doula
A birth doula is a nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the birthing person and their family during pregnancy, labor, and birth. A birth doula is a resourceful companion for the birthing person alongside the birth partner and medical providers for any type of birth located at a hospital, birth center, or home.
Doula is a Greek word for “woman caregiver” and the term was first used professionally by anthropologist Dr. Dana Raphael in 1966 to describe companions during labor (Klaus et al., 2012). Doulas - or companions, support persons, caregivers, etc. - have always been present throughout cultures and history as birthing people step into the transformative journey of birth.
Research demonstrates that the presence of a doula can support birthing persons in having healthier and more satisfying experiences as they grow their families (ACOG, 2026). Studies show that the continuous support of a birth doula causes (March of Dimes, 2022):
Less cesarean births
Improved communication between birthing people and health care providers
Fewer low birthweight babies
Increased likelihood to breast/chest feed
Less medical intervention
Increase in positive birth experiences
Fewer birth complications
So how do birth doulas encourage these incredible outcomes?
Prenatal Appointments and Birth Planning
A birth doula is an important resource as the birthing person and their family experience pregnancy and prepare for labor, birth, and the postpartum period. During one-on-one prenatal appointments, the birth doula can engage the birthing person in childbirth education and practice comfort measures for labor. The birth doula can also share evidence-based information with the birthing person as they develop a birth preference plan. By sharing essential knowledge and answering questions, the birth doula can support birthing persons and their families as they grow in confidence to plan for the birth they desire and deserve.
Comfort Measures
The birth doula can provide essential physical and emotional support for the birthing person and their partner during labor and birth. Having an additional companion present can help the birthing person feel more calm during labor which is shown to improve physical and mental health outcomes (Dekker, 2024). Comfort measures can include:
Applying counter pressure, acupressure, and massage
Supporting in changing positions and engaging in movement
Providing food and hydration
Establishing a peaceful environment (twinkle lights, dim lights, candles, etc.)
Giving reassurance and encouragement
Playing and/or reading meditations and/or visualizations
Providing guidance on use of breath to relax body and breathe during labor
Supporting with the use of hydrotherapy (water, shower, tub, etc.)
Support the Birth Partner
A birth doula does not replace the birthing person’s partner. Rather, the birth doula provides the birth partner with tools and knowledge for how to best support the birthing person during pregnancy, labor, and birth (Dekker, 2024). The birth doula also nurtures the partner during their journey to parenthood because their physical, mental, and emotional health is essential to their family’s health. Through a collaborative approach, the partner and birth doula can work as a team to best support the birthing person throughout their perinatal experience.
Provide Evidence-Based Information for Advocacy and Informed Decision Making
A birth doula can share evidence-based information which the birthing person can utilize to make informed decisions and communicate their birth preferences to the health care provider and medical team. For example, a birth doula might suggest a birthing person make informed decisions by following the acronym B.R.A.I.N. which can be a grounding tool (Choices in Childbirth, 2026):
Benefits: What are the benefits?
Risks: What are the risks?
Alternatives: What are the alternatives?
Intuition: What does my intuition think?
Nothing: What if we do nothing or wait?
Through the use of up to date, research-backed, and un-biased information, the birthing person can grow in confidence and step into their inherent power when making decisions regarding their birth.
Important Note
A doula is not a medical provider and does not take the place of a medical provider. This means that a doula does not make medical decisions, perform medical tasks, interfere with medical care, or communicate for the client. The doula cannot guarantee specific outcomes because of their services and they must provide un-biased support for the birthing person. Ultimately, the doula’s role is to support the birthing person every step of the way so the birthing person can have the birth they desire and deserve.
If you’re interested in learning more about Seedling’s birth and family services, please reach out on our website!
References
ACOG. (2026, July 16). ACOG releases new guidance for Ob-Gyns on partnering with doulas. ACOG. https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2026/07/new-guidance-for-ob-gyns-on-partnering-with-doulas
Choices in Childbirth. (2022, January 1). Explore your options with the B.R.A.I.N. technique. Choices in Childbirth. https://mychoicesinchildbirth.org/resources/explore-your-options-with-the-b-r-a-i-n-technique/
Dekker, R. (2024, April 17). Evidence on: Doulas. Evidence Based Birth. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/
Klaus, P.H., Klaus, M.H., & Kennell, J.H. (2012). The doula book: How a trained labor companion can help you have a shorter, easier, and healthier birth. Go Hachette Books.
March of Dimes. (2022, March 29). Doulas can improve care before, during, and after childbirth. March of Dimes. https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/blog/doulas-can-improve-care-during-and-after-childbirth
