In my last post, I shared all about the journey that led to me leaving my corporate career and becoming a full-time birth worker. ICYMI: read it here. And now, I want to share more about what it all means! Read on to learn what doulas do, the benefits of doula support, who we work with, and most specifically, what the journey is like with ME as your doula.

What is a doula?

A doula is someone experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to families before, during, and after childbirth. Doula support is not a new or trendy concept—it's a time-honored tradition that spans centuries.

I like to think of a modern doula as your birth best friend. Someone who knows a lot about pregnancy, birth and postpartum, who will stay by your side throughout the journey; who will honour, respect and advocate for your wishes; and someone who will tailor their support to your unique needs and circumstances.

There are all kinds of doulas (from fertility to birth to death, and everything in between) but for today, I’ll be focusing primarily on birth support.

What do doulas do (and not do)?

A significant and important aspect of doula work – which begins long before your birthing day – is helping you to **prepare** to meet the physical and emotional intensity of labour and birth. This includes education in advance to help you become informed and aware of your options and preferences, as well as time spent building our relationship and establishing trust, comfort, and familiarity.

Doulas are trained and experienced in providing a wide range of non-medical comfort measures to help you cope with the demands of labour and co-create a memorable birth and postpartum experience. We also support any other birth partner(s) you may have, guiding them in meaningful ways to engage with you while also protecting their own experience(s) (whether they are stepping into becoming a parent, grandparent, auntie, or other important role). We provide emotional support—without judgment or agenda—encourage your self-advocacy, and offer continuous labour support in many different ways. Some doulas, myself included, also provide support in the early postpartum period to help ease the transition into parenthood.

A doula does not perform clinical tasks, diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, or give medical advice.

We do not make decisions for our clients, and we don’t project our own values or goals onto our clients.

Where and with whom do doulas work?

No matter where you plan to give birth—whether at home, in a birth centre, or in a hospital—you can absolutely benefit from the education, support, and comfort a doula provides. The support I offer as your doula is different from that of your midwife or OB, and works in partnership with your care team to ensure you feel empowered and supported throughout your birth experience.

While your medical provider focuses on the clinical aspects of your health and your baby’s wellbeing, my role is centered entirely on you—your emotional and physical support, your comfort, and your experience. Because I am not responsible for clinical tasks or medical oversight, I can dedicate myself fully to your needs and ensure you have the continuous, personalized care you deserve.

Some doulas specialize in specific care, such as home or hospital birth, water birth, VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean), and more, so you’ll want to make sure that any doula you consider hiring does in fact support births at your chosen location, and aligns with your overall birth philosophy and wishes.

Why hire a doula?

Doulas help foster greater feelings of agency, personal security, respect, knowledge, and connectedness.

Statistically, studies have shown many tangible benefits to doula support, including shorter labour duration, decreased risk of caesarean, and reduced use of pain medication and labour augmentation.

The benefits of birth doula support also extend into the postnatal period, with many new parents reporting better feelings about themselves and their baby, and higher rates of breastfeeding. Assistance from a postnatal doula can increase self-confidence, lower the risk of postpartum depression, and increase overall satisfaction. Whether through direct postpartum support or thoughtful referrals, I help ensure you’re cared for beyond birth, too. Stay tuned for an upcoming post all about postpartum doula support!

You can find more details on the research (and many other common doula questions!) here and here.

**Why hire this doula?**

Are you someone who…

likes to plan and be organized?
values information?
wants to be actively involved in decision-making surrounding your care?
identifies as “Type A” (driven, ambitious, detail-oriented)?
struggles with letting go of control, but wants support doing so?
wants to become educated, but unsure where to start?
appreciates the element of structure throughout your birth preparation process?
wants to train and prepare intentionally for the specific demands of labour and birth?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, then we might be a perfect fit!

My process includes:

structured, purposeful meetings during pregnancy
vetted, evidence-based resources and referrals
physical presence throughout labour and after your birth
follow-up visits in the early postpartum weeks to check in and offer continued support
phone, text & email support throughout our time together!

How to connect with a doula?

The easiest way, IMHO, is to click on the “start here” button below to connect with me directly. But for those of you outside of my area wanting in-person support, the next best way is through referral. Did your friends have a doula that they loved? Ask for their contact information – or, better yet, a personalized introduction. You can also ask local midwifery groups for a list of doulas they’ve worked with and recommend. Of course, you can always search online for “doulas near me”, as a way to get started. You can also take to social media and find some great birthworker accounts to follow in your area (because as a bonus, you’ll get educational content to help along your journey). Some of my clients followed me for years on IG before reaching out, and once they were ready, they already had a good sense of my values and philosophy, and in some cases we had already interacted. All this to say, it’s never too early to start forming and nurturing these relationships – your connection will be deeper and more meaningful as a result, which can lead to enhanced feelings of safety and satisfaction with your entire experience.

Start Your Doula Journey

Your birth experience matters—how you're supported, how you're treated, and how you feel through it all. You deserve care that’s grounded in trust, preparation, and compassion.

Whether you’re just starting to explore doula support or already know you want that kind of partnership, it’s never too early to reach out, ask questions, and start building your team.