What Does a Doula Do? Complete Guide for Expecting Parents

OK parents to be… you got those two pink lines and you are both excited and wildly nervous (maybe terrified is more accurate??) You know you want to do all the right things and there feels like so much conflicting information and you know that you don’t want to parent like your friend whose children you dread spending time with (we all have one of those, so we are not judging). You know you don’t want to do certain things your parents did and you are sure how you want to feed your baby. So what do you do??

Well, fear not… your super saviour to support you in solving all these problems and more is a doula. And no, we are not all hippies that are going to make you have a waterbirth and force you to homebirth your children. On a side note, there are some great things about both those birth and parenting options if they feel like they are calling to you. 

Movies and shows with doulas usually make us a punchline, and we laugh along with y’all but we do want to answer the question with you:

What does a doula do?

You want to know this so you can make an informed choice about whether adding a doula to your care team makes sense for you. Not because someone on the internet told you that you “should,” but because you understand what support is available and what kind of support actually feels useful.

Whether you’ve heard the term birth doula or postpartum doula, or you are thinking about hiring a doula or even becoming a doula yourself, this guide will walk you through what doulas actually do, how they support families, and why so many parents choose to have one alongside their medical care during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

What exactly is a doula?

A doula is a trained support professional whose role is non medical. Doulas do not replace doctors, midwives, or nurses. Instead, doulas offer continuous emotional, informational, and physical support designed to help you feel empowered and informed throughout your perinatal journey. They work along with your care team and slow the pace down so you know what is happening, you know what decisions you can make, and you never have anything happen ‘to’ you and your baby, rather you are autonomous and empowered through the process. 

There are two main types of doulas parents and parents-to-be often consider.

A birth doula supports you in your pregnancy and during labor and delivery, helping you understand your options, create a birth plan, and provide continuous physical and emotional care as you bring your baby into the world.

A lot of parents don’t know this, but without a birth doula, you will be alone for much of your labor. It is not like in the movies where there are nurses by your bed the whole time. And FYI, doctors just poke their head in when needed. So, it will be up to your partner or birth mate to suggest things, answer your questions, and keep you comfortable. 

This is why a doula being there can be so incredible because you know them and trust them and you and your support people can all get care from your labor doula.  

They will answer what that beeping noise is, explain what the pros and cons are of breaking your water, keep you wildly comfortable, feed your partner and make sure they are sleeping, help you if there is a cervical lip present and avoid a c-section if an operative birth is not part of your plan. This and so, so much more.

A postpartum doula supports you after your baby is born with emotional support, practical help with newborn care, feeding support, household rhythm, and adjustment to your new family life.

This can look like tidying your house, helping you with breast or chestfeeding, holding your babe while you sleep or eat or shower. They might be the only non judgemental person you can talk to and you will never have to explain or defend the choices you are making as a parent. There is significantly less postpartum mood disorders when you have a doula – see ya later postpartum depression… 

Both roles are rooted in connection, comfort, and confidence building, and neither fills a clinical health care function.

How doulas support expecting parents

When families ask what a doula does, the heart of the answer centers on supportive presence.

A birth doula:

• Meets with you before birth to discuss goals, fears, and preferences.
• Helps you prepare a birth plan and understand medical options.
• Provides continuous support during labor and delivery.
• Coaches comfort measures like positioning, breathing, and relaxation.
• Acts as an emotional anchor, reassuring you and your partner and helping you navigate the intensity of labor.
• Communicates with your care team to help ensure your preferences are understood and respected.

A postpartum doula:

• Provides compassionate emotional support in the early weeks after birth.
• Helps with newborn care basics like diapering, soothing, and sleep.
• Offers feeding support and resources whether you are breastfeeding, pumping, or bottle feeding.
• Helps parents adjust to life with a newborn while sharing practical tips for rest and balance.
• Screen and catch postpartum mood disorders 
• Supports and scaffolds all the roles around the new baby including parents, grandparents, siblings and chosen family. 

Throughout both roles, doulas help families feel less alone, clearer about choices, and more confident as parents. It is like magic. 

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What evidence says about doula support

When parents think about hiring a doula, they often wonder if it is “worth it.” The research tells a powerful story.

A major review of multiple studies found that continuous doula support during labor was associated with improved birth outcomes such as reduced cesarean rates, shorter labor, and less use of pain medication.

One large analysis showed that people receiving doula support had significantly lower odds of cesarean delivery and postpartum depression and anxiety.

Doulas also improve early breastfeeding and chestfeeding success, with one study finding that new parents with doula care initiated breastfeeding at much higher rates than the broader population.

Beyond clinical outcomes, research shows that doulas help reduce prenatal anxiety and stress and support more respectful care experiences, especially for families from marginalized communities. This is an important stat and folks from equity seeking groups face the biggest challenges from the medical system and typically have worse outcomes in birth and postpartum due to the oppressive medical and social systems. 

These statistics highlight why many health professionals and insurance providers, including midwives and obstetricians, recommend continuous support by someone like a doula for expecting families.

How doulas work with your care team

One of the common misconceptions is that doulas “take over” medical care. Let us say this really loud and clear: They do not. Full stop. Instead, doulas act as a bridge between you and your providers. Doulas are a wonderful stop gap to bogged down and broken systems. 

They help you translate medical language into something that feels understandable. They support you to ask questions that matter to you. Doulas help you feel grounded when decisions feel heavy, hard or even impossible.

Because doulas spend dedicated time with you, they often notice emotional shifts, concerns, or stress that might get missed in shorter clinical appointments or through shift changes with nurses. This makes them an invaluable layer of support, not a replacement for medical care.

Hiring a doula

If you’re considering hiring a doula, start by thinking about what matters most to you in your birth and postpartum experience. Meeting doulas ahead of time helps you find someone whose style fits you.

Questions parents often ask include:

• How many births have you attended? Note: the answer to this question doesn’t matter as much as you think btw. 
• What type of support do you provide?
• How do you work with partners?
• Do you offer postpartum services?
• How do you handle communication with healthcare providers?

Hiring a doula is a deeply personal choice and when you know, you know. Families who choose doulas often describe feeling more confident, supported, and prepared for the realities of birth and early parenthood.

If you are thinking about becoming a doula

Many parents who have had the support of a doula go on to pursue doula training themselves. Becoming a doula is a meaningful way to channel your passion for care into a role that empowers others.

An online doula training opens up flexible paths for people from all backgrounds to pursue this work. A strong doula training program not only teaches you skills for birth and postpartum support but also helps you understand ethics, boundaries, and the true scope of doula practice.

If you are curious about the process, our guide on choosing quality doula training gives a clear picture of what to expect: click here to explore.

And if you want to learn about how doulas fit into systems of care and why preparation matters so much, you can read more here.

Final thoughts about doulas and doula care

So what does a doula do?

A doula walks beside you, listens without judgment, provides information with clarity, supports your body and emotions with skill, and helps guide you into your new chapter as a parent. Whether you choose a birth doula, a postpartum doula, or both, this role is about making one of life’s most intense experiences feel more human, supported, and understood.

If you are expecting a baby, learning about doulas might help you feel more confident and prepared for every step of your journey.

Want to know more about life as a doula? Download this free guide.