A birth doula provides continuous educational, emotional, physical, and spiritual support to a mother before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Their role is to help create a calm and positive birth experience, offering comfort measures, reassurance, and support tailored to the mother’s unique needs and preferences. Doulas also serve as advocates for their patient’s rights and preferences during labor and birth.

Your doula is your advocate in and out of the birthing room. She will ensure that positive communication between patient and provider is maintained and will empower parents to make informed decisions for themselves and their new child. Doulas advocate for the rights and birth preferences of the family that might otherwise be overlooked or ignored.

Don’t fret, your handmaiden isn’t afraid of a surgical birth, even if it is unplanned!

In the case of a surgical birth, your doula will still provide continuous educational, emotional, physical, and spiritual support to you — it just might look a little different. Depending on hospital operating room policies, your doula may need to provide support virtually during your birth, but she will join you as soon as allowed to provide her full capacity of postpartum support.

If a transfer of care is necessary (either from a home, birthing center, or otherwise), your doula will transfer with you and will continue to support you in your new birthing and postpartum space.

In short, absolutely not! Numerous academic studies have shown that doula care is incredibly beneficial for all births, no matter what the individual mother’s birth preferences are. Doulas are sisters in your time of travail who aid you in countless ways other than achieving natural childbirth. This is your birth, and a good doula will serve you and advocate for you regardless of your unique birth plan.

Your handmaiden will be your doula for any birth that takes place under the supervision of a licensed medical professional, be it a midwife or obstetrician, as required by law. The location is up to you!

Unfortunately, no, your handmaiden will not serve you if you choose to have an unassisted birth, otherwise known as a “freebirth.” Because of legal ramifications, your doula can only attend births that are supervised by a license medical professional, such as a midwife or obstetrician.

In short: no. Doulas are non-medical professionals, which means they are not licensed to take on any medical role, and that includes delivery of your baby. Doulas can only provide educational, emotional, physical, and spiritual support, they cannot deliver babies. This could result in legal action for practicing without a license.

Consultations are an important part of hiring a doula. Remember, your doula will be with you in one of the most vulnerable, primal, heavenly times in your life, so it is crucial to hire a doula whose personality and care model aligns with your needs! Consults are a way for the doula and client to meet each other and connect on a personal level outside of the confines of a contract. Don't forget, you are choosing a doula because of who she is, not just what service she can provide.

Each family will receive two (2!) handmaiden prenatal visits. These visits give the doula a chance to earn and exchange trust with the family; discuss the role she will play in your pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum; educate the parents on informed consent and medical intervention; create a birth plan (better called birth preferences…no one has a plan for birth but God!); and learn and discuss what comfort and support measures best suit the individual mother’s personality and physiology.

Continuous labor support means that your doula will be with you during every moment of your active labor and will be available to you 24/7 during the stages of early labor.

Your doula will provide educational support, such as information on common medical interventions; emotional support, such as guided breathing, trauma coaching techniques, and continual encouragement and affirmation; physical support, such as labor positions and comfort measures; and spiritual support, such as vocal prayer and faith-centered labor coaching.

No mama needs the physical support of a doula during early labor, no matter how kind or helpful your doula is! Labor relies completely upon the body’s hormones, so any disruption to your natural, peaceful routine could cause your labor to slow or even stall. It is necessary for your body to fully “lock in” to the physical reality of labor before your doula arrives, so her presence will be a help to you and not a hindrance.

But don’t worry, your handmaiden will be available at all the times you need it most!

Your doula will remain with you for a brief period (1-2 hours) immediately postpartum to aid with mother-baby bonding, to assist with breastfeeding, and to be an advocate in the case of any necessary postpartum medical intervention.

All families receive one (1!) postpartum visit with their handmaiden. This visit, typically held a week after birth, allows the mother time to process her birth and formulate any questions or concerns she may have for her doula. In addition, doulas are trained to recognize signs of postpartum depression, so these visits give your doula a chance to check up on the wellbeing of the mother and provide support in any way necessary. Your doula can also provide guidance with breastfeeding and other newborn concerns.