FAQs
If you have questions not answered below, please use the contact form to reach out. I welcome any and all curiosities.
What does a doula do?
A doula is a non-medical professional who supports birthing people through the entirety of their pregnancy experience physically, emotionally and at times even spiritually. Our agenda is whatever you decide your agenda is, whether we agree or not.
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Support includes partnering with you to develop a vision for your pregnancy+birth, preparing and planning effectively for labor as well as continuously assisting you during the labor and after you have given birth.
Support can also mean providing resources, information and education that enable birthing people to consider and decide what the best choices they can for themselves and their families about their pregnancy, birth and post-partum experience.
They can work in a variety of settings including the hospital, birth center and your home if you choose to give birth there. It's important to understand that doulas do not perform the tasks of midwives or doctors who focus on the medical aspects of the birth; they are a support system for the birthing person.
Why are doulas important?
Doulas are important because as a society we underestimate the intensity of helping new life make it's way earth-side and every birthing person deserves to have all the support that they can get during this transformative time...period!
Doulas are not only a source of support to the individual but they are also advocates that can help birthing people navigate the medical-industrial complex that was not designed for anyone other than white, heteronormative, middle to upper class people. Advocacy can look like a lot of things but above all things, it is driven by the expressed needs, desires and requests of the birthing person, not the doula.
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Research shows that when people who have continuous doula support during childbirth, there is a 39% decrease in the risk of a C-section, 15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth, 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience.
We also know from research that black, latinx and indigenous women experience racism-related stress that affect pregnancy and birth outcomes. A 2016 study found that when black women have doulas, they reported experiencing higher levels of agency and autonomy, personal security, sense of respect, and connectedness. For more evidence-based information on the impact of doulas, visit the Evidence-Based Birth FAQ.
How much do doulas cost?
Doulas have varying fee ranges or work on a sliding scale depending on their experience/how many births they have attended as well as the financial needs or limitations of the birthing person.
If you are a pregnant person with a very limited budget, some doulas (including this one!) are open to discussing other forms of payment or exchange like bartering good, skills, or services. Conversely, if you are a pregnant person who can afford to pay the higher end of the fee range (~2,500) without hardship, we encourage you to pay the full cost or more as way to support your fellow community of birthing people, redistribute wealth in a capitalist system that makes access to human rights (like support during your pregnancy) difficult for some.
The bottom line is that every single pregnant person deserves a doula and we'll figure out a way to make it happen for anyone that contacts me.