Frequently Asked Questions
What do doulas do?
Doulas support families in the childbearing year; during pregnancy, labor/birth, and the postpartum period (after baby joins the family).
Birth doulas are trained to understand the normal process of labor and birth. A doula provides informational and emotional support, reassuring both the birthing person and their support person. A doula helps the birthing person cope with labor by helping with relaxation and breathing techniques and offering suggestions for positions and other comfort measures. Birth doulas help clients understand what is happening and their options during their birth.
Postpartum doulas are trained to assist in the period following the birth, providing education and non-judgmental support to help facilitate the transition to parenthood. Doulas may also provide hands-on support with newborn care and feeding, meal preparation, household tasks, and care for older siblings so that the clients may rest and take care of themselves.
Will the presence of a doula make my partner or family feel excluded?
Doulas are trained professionals who assist the family with evidence-based knowledge, experience, and non-judgmental support. They do not replace your partner or family, instead, they work as a team with your chosen support system.
Do doulas replace medical professionals?
The support from a doula is different from the care provided by a doctor, nurse, baby nurse, or midwife. Doulas offer non-clinical support and care during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum. Doulas do not do physical exams, perform medical tasks, or asses the vital signs of the pregnant parent or baby. If medical interventions become necessary, a doula can help the client get the information they need to make informed choices for their birth or baby. A doula does not make decisions for clients nor intervene in their clinical care.
More Birth Doula Faqs
Are doulas only for birthing people who are planning a natural birth?
No- A doula offers physical comfort and emotional reassurance regardless of a birthing person’s plan for pain medication. Doulas also offer informational support which can help the gestational parent make decisions that are right for their birth.
What sort of training or qualifications do birth doulas have?
Many organizations train and certify doulas. Birth doulas are trained in the normal process of birth, comfort measures for labor, and supporting the emotional needs of a laboring person and their partner. Most will also have recent and evidence-based information about choices in childbirth and basic breastfeeding.
How much does a birth doula cost?
There is a doula for every budget! Birth doulas generally offer their services in a “package” which includes prenatal meetings, the actual labor and birth, and postpartum follow-up visits, all for one fee. In Austin, doulas charge anywhere from $1000 - $2000 depending on skill and time in the field. When interviewing doulas, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask a doula for her fee as well as when and how they expect payment. Many doulas will offer payment plans or a sliding scale fee. Austin has options for families that need low to no-cost birth support we recommend checking out " Giving Austin Labor Support is a community resource or “ Mama Sana Vibrant Woman”. Many community doulas in Austin are independent and offer birth/postpartum support for barter or low cost. Check out our member list to see who is listed as one!
What are the Benefits of having a birth doula?
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence at birth:
tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complication
increases satisfaction with one’s childbirth experience
reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps, or vacuum extraction
reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesarean sections
In addition, long-term benefits of labor support include:
Improved body feeding
Decreased postpartum depression
Greater parental satisfaction
Better parent-infant interaction
Source: Continuous support for women during childbirth. Hodnett et al (Cochrane review) 2012
More postpartum doula faqs
Are postpartum doulas only for parents who have postpartum depression?
No- Postpartum doulas support all families who are bringing home a newborn and would like information and support with feeding, sleep, newborn care, family and sibling adjustments, emotional and physical recovery from birth, and managing the home.
Do postpartum doulas work days or nights?
Both! Daytime doulas offer emotional, informational, and physical support with breastfeeding, newborn care, and sibling adjustment as well as assisting with light housekeeping tasks such as simple meal preparation and laundry, to allow the recovering parents to rest or take care of themselves. Overnight doulas focus on caring for the baby, allowing the parents to get much-needed sleep while supporting breast or chestfeeding and helping the family learn healthy sleep habits.
What sort of training or qualifications do postpartum doulas have?
Many organizations train and certify doulas. Postpartum doulas have specialized training in breast or chestfeeding and newborn care as well as the emotional needs of the birthing parent during the postpartum period, including helping the family recognize signs of postpartum mood disorders such as depression and anxiety.
How much does a postpartum doula cost?
Postpartum doula fees vary based on the experience/training of the doula, and the number of babies to be cared for during a shift. Typical fees in Central Texas range from $35-$55/hr. Some doulas offer reduced rates/sliding scale fees for families in need. If you are in need and cannot afford the going rate, please put in a special request.
What are the benefits of having a postpartum doula?
Research of existing literature shows that women who are properly supported during the postpartum period experience
bond better with their babies
improved body feeding success
greater self-confidence
fewer cases of postpartum depression
a lower incidence of abuse
Source: DONA International Position Paper on “The Postpartum Doula’s Role in Maternity Care”, 2002, 2006