Do I Need a Doula? What You Need to Know About Doulas

Estimated read time: 12 minutes

Read on for Everything you need to know about Doulas

Doulas are becoming increasingly popular to help mamas through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. If you’ve ever thought do I need a doula then this article is for you. 

Pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period are hard.

And during these challenging and bewildering times, it can help to have some extra emotional and physical support. 

This is where doulas come in. Professionals who are specially trained birth coaches and baby experts who can be there to support and guide you, as well as be the vocal advocate you might need during appointments and the birth itself. 

But, what is a doula, and what do doulas do?

In this article:

We’re going to break down everything you need to know about doulas, from the benefits of having a doula, the different types of doulas, and how much doulas cost, so you can make an informed decision whether hiring a doula is the right thing for you and your family.

• What is a doula?
• What do doulas do?
• Benefits of a doula
• Different types of doulas
• Postpartum doula cost
• Are doulas covered by insurance?
• Do I need a doula?

What is a doula?

In understanding the role of a doula, let's look at the meaning of a doula.

Doulas use informational, physical, and emotional support to help families during birth, but there are many different types of doulas, including postpartum doulas, who care for families after the birth of a baby.

The word doula comes from a Greek word that translates to a female helper or maidservant. Now, a doula is by no means a servant, and they might not even be female, but one thing that still remains true is that a doula is there to help you.

Nowadays, the meaning of a doula is someone who is trained to inform, advise, and offer emotional and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and after she gives birth. While doulas aren’t trained medical professionals, and shouldn’t replace your healthcare provider or doctor, they can offer amazing personal care and comfort that a medical provider cannot. 

What doulas do is even before your due date, your doula will meet with you several times so you can get to know each other and start forming a bond. They’ll learn how they can best support you to ensure you have the best birth possible, as well as go through childbirth education touchpoints. 

There is a doula for almost every unique situation (as we’ll look at a little later), so the good news is you can be sure you’ll get the personalized care you need if you choose to hire a doula.

What do doulas do?

The real question is, what don’t doulas do?

A little later, we’ll look at the wide spectrum of the different types of doulas available, and all the ways they can help you and your family. 

Doulas offer a plethora of different types of support unique to the family they are working with. They aren’t limited to just helping during labor and birth, as they also offer advice and guidance during pregnancy and when your little bundle is born. 

Here are examples of the things that doulas do:

1. Information – whether it’s for fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, how to deal with loss, or anything else, a doula is an expert on the area you need advice on and can provide it for you whenever you need it.
   
   
2. Emotional support – from fertility and pregnancy to life after birth, a doula is there to give reassurance, comfort, an empathetic ear, and encouragement.
   
   
3. Physical support – this can include anything from massages during labor and pregnancy to holding your hand through the hard parts.
   
   
4. Guidance – for you, your partner, and your loved ones, a doula can provide support and guidance to help everyone feel better.
   
   
5. Communication – doulas can be your advocate, serving as a liaison between you and your hospital. This is especially important during times when it might be difficult for you to communicate with your doctor yourself. They’ll help ensure your voice is heard and your preferences are honored by your doctors and healthcare team. 
   
   
6. Help with feeding – whether it’s breastfeeding or bottle feeding, a doula can navigate the challenges of breastfeeding, help with discomfort, latching, breastfeeding positions, mastitis, and also offer advice with formula feeding.
   
   
7. Help care for baby – life postpartum can be challenging and a doula can offer assistance with caring for your baby. 
   
   

Some partners get nervous about hiring a doula, as they think it means their role is redundant. This is never the case. A good doula will never relegate your partner to third-wheel status and push them aside. Instead, they’ll enhance the support and will be there to help them relax too. 

The best part about working with a doula is it’s up to you how and when you would like to utilize your doula’s expertise. It might be when you’re delivering your baby, help and support during fertility challenges, or working with you postpartum to help you on your parenting journey. 

Benefits of a doula

Ok, doula benefits! There are so many amazing benefits of having a doula, for you, your partner, your labor, and your postpartum journey. Yep, the advantages of hiring a doula can be just what you need. 

Depending on your situation, you might need support and guidance in different areas, from help getting through labor and delivery to having a voice to advocate for you when you’re at the hospital, to emotional and physical support once your baby is here. There are many positive impacts of doula support.

During delivery, a doula is in constant close proximity to you and can provide a ton of comfort and pain-relief techniques. They also encourage participation from your partner (if needed) and offer reassurance and encouragement. A doula may be especially beneficial for a mom-to-be who's on her own, either by choice or because her partner can't be or isn't present. 

Another benefit, shown by research, is that having a doula can mean a reduced risk of a C-section, a reduced risk of an instrumental birth, a reduced need for pain medication, and a reduced rate of induction of labor, amongst other incredible benefits. 

Further research suggests that women who work with doulas tend to have a more positive birth experience and are more likely to initiate breastfeeding. 

Different types of doulas

The original intention of a doula was someone trained to provide advice, information, emotional support, and comfort to a mother before, during, and after giving birth, but times have changed and there are now many different types of doulas. That's right, there are specialized doulas.

Why? Because parents need support in a number of ways as they go through pregnancy, birth, loss, adoption, and lots more. The different types of doulas offer customized care to cater to these situations.

There are many services offered by doulas, what doulas do depends on their specialty. It's important to know that each type of doula has different roles and responsibilities. We are going to go through the different types of doulas to help you in choosing the right doula for you.

The different types of doulas (and a little more about them) include: 

1. Birth doulas – This is the most common doula, someone who is there to support you during your labor and delivery. Birth doulas provide all the support you need through evidence-based education, by helping to create a birth plan and preparing you for after your baby arrives. Birth doulas are also there to advocate for you, helping to amplify your voice and making sure your choices are heard. They will usually also follow up at least once postpartum.
   
   
2. Antepartum doulas – These doulas are used for high-risk pregnancies, or if you have medical limitations. Basically, any condition that requires extra support during pregnancy.
   
   
3. Postpartum doulas – This is another popular type of doula who is there to support you and your family during the postpartum period. They’re there to help you adjust to your new parental role and help everything run smoother during a time of complete change. They also provide additional resources and professional advice and assist with taking care of the baby, running errands, and, most importantly, supporting you.
   
   
4. Bereavement doulas – These incredible doulas are there to support you during a very challenging time - the loss of a baby. It could be through miscarriage, stillbirth, or if the baby passes after delivery. They will assist with labor and delivery, help you understand the circumstances, and offer amazing support and guidance during a time of grief.
   
   
5. Abortion doulas – This type of doula is there to support you and your family before, during, and after an abortion. They provide care, help, and advice without any judgment.
   
   
6. Adoption doulas – Adoption doulas can support both the birth mother and the adoptive family as they work through the adoption process.
   
   
7. Fertility doulas – These doulas support people on their journey to pregnancy and parenthood by helping to establish boundaries, creating plans for self-care, preparing for doctor’s appointments, offering fertility education, attending health visits, and providing relaxation and mindfulness techniques.

While this is far from an exhaustive list, it covers a wide range of the different doulas available, so you can start planning on what type of doula is right for you.

Postpartum doula cost

Most people have a budget in mind when preparing for a baby, ranging from strollers and car seats to cribs and monitors, and a doula is another cost you’ll have to factor in if you’re considering hiring one.  

Whatever type of doula you choose, from birth to postpartum, the cost of a doula can vary.

The cost of hiring a doula usually covers the prenatal period, labor and delivery, and some postpartum visits. This shouldn’t be confused with a postpartum doula, whose job is to be there to help and offer support during the postpartum period. 

On average, a birth doula costs between $1,500 and $5,000+, depending on factors such as location, cost of living, years of experience, and the services they provide. A postpartum doula, on the other hand, charges on average between $20 and $50 an hour. 

As you can see, the cost of a postpartum doula, or postpartum doula fees can vary. To help in budgeting for doula services, it is becoming more and more common to add doula services to baby shower gift registries.

Are doulas covered by insurance?

Alright, let's talk about the main doula insurance questions. Are doulas covered by insurance, and does insurance reimburse for doula services.

The short answer here is, not exactly.

Unfortunately, even though doula care is becoming more and more recognized as an important resource for pregnancy, because they are not medical professionals and are not currently seen as “essential care”, coverage in private health insurance plans remains nearly nonexistent. However, several states do cover doula care under their Medicaid programs and a growing number of lawmakers and advocates are looking to expand doula care in private plans. 

While many insurance plans may not cover the full cost of a doula, some providers offer optional maternity care bundles that allow mothers to get doula care without breaking the bank, so it’s worth speaking with your insurance provider to see what they can offer. 

Do I need a doula?

Making the decision to hire a doula is personal. The bottom line mama is knowing how to choose the right doula for your situation. To make the right choice for you and your family, you need to understand the different types of doulas, the benefits they can bring to your situation, and if hiring one is financially doable for you.

Now you understand what do doulas do, you can start making the best decision for you and your growing family.

You’ve got this mama. 

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