Originally published in March 2016, Blog updated March 2023
Hi. My name is Kelly Collins, and I am a wellness-centered birth and postpartum doula.
Whenever I share with someone that I am a doula, the majority of people assume that I am a birth doula. And that's typical. Most people aren't aware that there are doulas who serve different purposes. Eventually, I would like to expand my business to offer multiple services that support maternal and family health.
While learning about various doula certifying programs and institutions, I began to gain a deeper understanding of the different types of doulas and the roles they play in a family's life. A doula provides non-judgmental, unbiased support and care for new parents and their families. As doulas become more essential to parents all over the world, I wanted to share the many options the doula community provides. Here are several roles where doulas can give support:
Antepartum (Prenatal or Pregnancy) doula: This type of doula assists parents and families during pregnancy. Most times, antepartum doulas serve pregnant people who have a high-risk pregnancy. Antepartum doulas can be very reassuring to new parents who may need extra support during pregnancy and they can provide both physical and emotional support to them. More often, they will also help with light housework or cooking for a birthing person who needs to rest and heal after birth. Bed rest doula services may also be an option for the clients of antepartum doulas if they need even more assistance.
Adoption doula: Adoption and/or foster doulas will often support both the birthing person and the adopting/foster family. They sometimes serve as a liaison between the two families. These doulas provide the birth mother with educational resources before her birth, support her through labor as her birth doula, guide her after birth and be a part of the birth mother's ongoing support system. The doula can then assist the adopting/fostering family in preparing for their baby and help them through the journey of receiving and bonding with their new baby.
Abortion doula: These types of doulas specialize in helping expectant parents during the emotional process of abortion or termination for medical reasons (TFMR). The birthing person will experience many emotions as well as physical side effects and will need an open-minded and sensitive individual to support them. These qualities are very important in the scope of an abortion doula.
Birth (Labor) doula: The birth doula is the most common and popular of this list. A birth doula’s job is to support clients and their families through the process of labor and the birth of a baby. This support includes providing educational information regarding birth, mental and emotional encouragement, physical support during labor, breathing techniques and labor positions and any other non-medical assistance to the laboring person and their partner. Birth doulas will typically include 1 or 2 prenatal visits before the birth and 1 or 2 postpartum visits following birth to help with breast/chest feeding and to ensure things are going well.
Bereavement doula: Usually, a doula helps families adjust to life with their new baby. Doulas who are trained to support families during and after a miscarriage or loss are often women who have experienced this themselves, and make themselves available to provide emotional, physical, and informational support to women and families processing these losses. Like other doulas, they have specialized knowledge and resources for support, and can also provide the services of a postpartum doula to help grieving families through the healing process.
End-of-life (Death) doula: Some women have taken steps to become a doula for the mature adult community who are experiencing health crises, or have little time left on earth. This doula may spend many hours providing companionship, conversation, comfort and encouragement to someone in their last days or hours as well as supporting their loved ones and making arrangements for after their loved one has passed. End-of-life doulas are beginning to become more mainstream in America.
Postpartum doula: A postpartum doula is a temporary family caregiver and an expert in normal adjustment. We are trained specifically to help with the many changes that families experience following the birth of a baby. Postpartum doulas assist families for up to 12 weeks and sometimes longer. Some postpartum doulas, like me, offer bed rest doula services to pregnant bodies who may have pregnancy complications or a high-risk pregnancy. The pregnant woman would have a companion and helper until they are ready to give birth.
Sibling doulas assist families that have older children who may need care while the parents are in the hospital or while a birthing person is recovering from birth.
Hypno-Doulas are trained in Hypnobabies and understand the philosophy, techniques, cue words and other materials in the Hypnobabies program.
Full-Spectrum doula: doulas who provide support and care for individuals & families no matter the pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, abortion or termination, stillbirth, birth defect, surrogacy and adoption. They provide support for any situation, unexpected or otherwise and believe that every pregnant woman deserves non-judgmental care and respect. A full-spectrum doula believes that their work is not just in childbirth, but that it covers the entire spectrum of pregnancy outcomes.
Adult doula: Due to the response from one of my February blog posts, I have realized that while the world is just starting to recognize the modern-day doula, our roles are beginning to expand beyond the birth community. More and more adults are making the connection of how a doula can support them at any time, no matter the circumstances. For adult doula services or consulting services, please learn more here. I am sure that the list above will only grow as doulas are accepted as mainstream, non-medical birth professionals.
In recent years, the role of doulas has expanded and some even have specialty areas that extend from the Adult Doula category. Some of those include: Fertility, Lactation, NICU Support, Holistic, Life Transition, Family Preservation, Prison, Indigenous, Cancer, Menopause and Addiction/Recovery. Many doulas are trained and certified in several areas and specialties so they can serve and accommodate the growing needs in their communities. This proves to be helpful not just when a baby is born, but also when life happens and families need guidance, resources and emotional support from a trusted expert.
The value of hiring a doula and the care they provide has grown tremendously over the past several years. But truthfully, the need, acceptance and mainstream usage of doulas is just a return to traditional birth and family support, before birth became medicalized. As my business continues to grow, I hope to offer more of these services to families so they can have options and have their desired birth experience.
Thinking of hiring a doula? These questions may help you decide.
Hi. My name is Kelly Collins, and I am a wellness-centered birth and postpartum doula.
Whenever I share with someone that I am a doula, the majority of people assume that I am a birth doula. And that's typical. Most people aren't aware that there are doulas who serve different purposes. Eventually, I would like to expand my business to offer multiple services that support maternal and family health.
While learning about various doula certifying programs and institutions, I began to gain a deeper understanding of the different types of doulas and the roles they play in a family's life. A doula provides non-judgmental, unbiased support and care for new parents and their families. As doulas become more essential to parents all over the world, I wanted to share the many options the doula community provides. Here are several roles where doulas can give support:
Antepartum (Prenatal or Pregnancy) doula: This type of doula assists parents and families during pregnancy. Most times, antepartum doulas serve pregnant people who have a high-risk pregnancy. Antepartum doulas can be very reassuring to new parents who may need extra support during pregnancy and they can provide both physical and emotional support to them. More often, they will also help with light housework or cooking for a birthing person who needs to rest and heal after birth. Bed rest doula services may also be an option for the clients of antepartum doulas if they need even more assistance.
Adoption doula: Adoption and/or foster doulas will often support both the birthing person and the adopting/foster family. They sometimes serve as a liaison between the two families. These doulas provide the birth mother with educational resources before her birth, support her through labor as her birth doula, guide her after birth and be a part of the birth mother's ongoing support system. The doula can then assist the adopting/fostering family in preparing for their baby and help them through the journey of receiving and bonding with their new baby.
Abortion doula: These types of doulas specialize in helping expectant parents during the emotional process of abortion or termination for medical reasons (TFMR). The birthing person will experience many emotions as well as physical side effects and will need an open-minded and sensitive individual to support them. These qualities are very important in the scope of an abortion doula.
Birth (Labor) doula: The birth doula is the most common and popular of this list. A birth doula’s job is to support clients and their families through the process of labor and the birth of a baby. This support includes providing educational information regarding birth, mental and emotional encouragement, physical support during labor, breathing techniques and labor positions and any other non-medical assistance to the laboring person and their partner. Birth doulas will typically include 1 or 2 prenatal visits before the birth and 1 or 2 postpartum visits following birth to help with breast/chest feeding and to ensure things are going well.
Bereavement doula: Usually, a doula helps families adjust to life with their new baby. Doulas who are trained to support families during and after a miscarriage or loss are often women who have experienced this themselves, and make themselves available to provide emotional, physical, and informational support to women and families processing these losses. Like other doulas, they have specialized knowledge and resources for support, and can also provide the services of a postpartum doula to help grieving families through the healing process.
End-of-life (Death) doula: Some women have taken steps to become a doula for the mature adult community who are experiencing health crises, or have little time left on earth. This doula may spend many hours providing companionship, conversation, comfort and encouragement to someone in their last days or hours as well as supporting their loved ones and making arrangements for after their loved one has passed. End-of-life doulas are beginning to become more mainstream in America.
Postpartum doula: A postpartum doula is a temporary family caregiver and an expert in normal adjustment. We are trained specifically to help with the many changes that families experience following the birth of a baby. Postpartum doulas assist families for up to 12 weeks and sometimes longer. Some postpartum doulas, like me, offer bed rest doula services to pregnant bodies who may have pregnancy complications or a high-risk pregnancy. The pregnant woman would have a companion and helper until they are ready to give birth.
Sibling doulas assist families that have older children who may need care while the parents are in the hospital or while a birthing person is recovering from birth.
Hypno-Doulas are trained in Hypnobabies and understand the philosophy, techniques, cue words and other materials in the Hypnobabies program.
Full-Spectrum doula: doulas who provide support and care for individuals & families no matter the pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, abortion or termination, stillbirth, birth defect, surrogacy and adoption. They provide support for any situation, unexpected or otherwise and believe that every pregnant woman deserves non-judgmental care and respect. A full-spectrum doula believes that their work is not just in childbirth, but that it covers the entire spectrum of pregnancy outcomes.
Adult doula: Due to the response from one of my February blog posts, I have realized that while the world is just starting to recognize the modern-day doula, our roles are beginning to expand beyond the birth community. More and more adults are making the connection of how a doula can support them at any time, no matter the circumstances. For adult doula services or consulting services, please learn more here. I am sure that the list above will only grow as doulas are accepted as mainstream, non-medical birth professionals.
In recent years, the role of doulas has expanded and some even have specialty areas that extend from the Adult Doula category. Some of those include: Fertility, Lactation, NICU Support, Holistic, Life Transition, Family Preservation, Prison, Indigenous, Cancer, Menopause and Addiction/Recovery. Many doulas are trained and certified in several areas and specialties so they can serve and accommodate the growing needs in their communities. This proves to be helpful not just when a baby is born, but also when life happens and families need guidance, resources and emotional support from a trusted expert.
The value of hiring a doula and the care they provide has grown tremendously over the past several years. But truthfully, the need, acceptance and mainstream usage of doulas is just a return to traditional birth and family support, before birth became medicalized. As my business continues to grow, I hope to offer more of these services to families so they can have options and have their desired birth experience.
Thinking of hiring a doula? These questions may help you decide.
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