What is a Doula? "Doula" refers to a supportive companion (other than a friend or loved one) who is professionally trained to provide labor support. A doula performs no clinical tasks. "Doula" also refers to laypersons that are trained or experienced in providing postpartum care - mother and newborn care, breastfeeding support and advice, cooking, childcare, errands, and light cleaning - for the family. To distinguish between the two types of doulas, one may refer to "birth doulas" and "postpartum doulas." A doula provides: physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth; help and advice on comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, massage and positioning; assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options; continuous emotional reassurance and comfort; non-medical skills such as massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures; assistance to partners who want to play an active support role; help so the woman has a safe and satisfying childbirth as the woman defines it.

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