Birth doula FAQ

is a doula the same as a midwife?

No. A Doula is a non-medical professional who offers continuous and multifaceted support throughout pregnancy and the birthing process. Think of it this way, a midwife is for everything waist down and a doula is for everything waist up!

What are the benefits of having a doua?

According to 26 studies of over 15,000 women, mothers who have a doula or a support person from outside of their inner circle present at their birth are more likely have labor begin on it’s own and are less likely to need any of the following: pain medication, epidural, vacuum or forceps assisted delivery or Cesarean Sections. They were also less likely to have negative feelings about childbirth and less rates of postpartum depression. In addition, their labors were shorter by 4o minutes on average and their babies were more likely to have higher APGAR scores at birth.

do you only attend out-of-hospital births?

We attend hospital births, birth center births and home births.

what if i want to get an epidural?

Your birth is your birth. We are here to support you in whatever decisions you decide to make. During our prenatal meetings we will discuss your birth goals and what the best ways for me to support you in them are. We will never try to push a decision on you or try to convince you that need or don’t need any type of birth intervention. If you choose to get an epidural there are many ways that we can still physically, emotionally and informationally support you and be of value to you in that decision.

What if i also want to use you for lactation support?

We offer all of our doula clients lactation support for up to six months postpartum at no additional cost. It’s important to us that we give our birth clients the most well rounded support possible, so that includes supporting all of their breastfeeding goals as well as their birth goals.

Lactation Support faq

what kind of problems can you help with?

Some common breastfeeding issues we help mamas navigate through are but are not limited to:

• nipple/breast pain

• a painful latch

• low milk supply

• oversupply

• nursing strikes

• weaning

how soon can i get an appointment?

We understand that breastfeeding issues can be stressful. They can negatively affect both you and your baby. Our goal is to give you the support you need as soon we can so that you and your baby can thrive. Next day appointments are often possible.

can you help me continue breastfeeding when i return to work or school?

Yes! Consulting with a CLC prior to returning to work or school has been proven to increase longterm breastfeeding duration. We will go over what your breastfeeding goals are and how to prepare for those ahead of time to ensure optimal milk supply and comfort. An ideal time to schedule a consultation is 3-5 weeks before you plan to return to work or school.