Question 1

What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?

Accepted Answer

A midwife is a medical provider. They medically care for you throughout pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period. Doulas are not medical providers. We focus on providing emotional and informational support throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Rather than offering medical care, we are there to support you, help you feel prepared and confident in yourself, and offer you comfort techniques during labor.

Question 2

If I have a midwife, will a doula still benefit me?

Accepted Answer

Yes! While many midwifery practices are holistic in their care, their primary focus is on your medical care during pregnancy, birth, and early postpartum.

During pregnancy, your visits with your midwife will be highly centered around your medical care, while with a doula, we will focus on many different topics that will help you further prepare you for labor and birth.

During your birth, you will have the midwives there to focus on providing you with the medical care needed to keep you safe, while your doula can focus entirely on providing emotional and physical comfort throughout your labor and birth.

Question 3

How does a doula work with my partner and/or family?

Accepted Answer

The people you choose to welcome into your birth and postpartum journey are important members of your support team! I will support them in not only feeling confident in supporting you, but also in making sure they are doing well also. One of the main principles within my doula work is that one cannot give from an empty cup. This is why my own well-being as well as the well-being of your support team are so important to me!

You will find that your support team/birth partner is just as integrated into the care experience as you are. They are encouraged to be actively involved in any prenatal preparations, and I will check in on how they are doing throughout birth and in any postpartum visits we have together.

You can consider me the overseer of your birth team, making sure everyone is doing okay so we can all work well in serving you the best we can.

Question 4

Will you be my advocate in the birth room?

Accepted Answer

I can be!

During prenatal visits, I will introduce you, and anyone else who will be supporting you, to a variety of advocacy tools that can be used during prenatal visits with your provider and in the birth room.

We will also go over what our advocacy roles will be throughout your pregnancy and birth journey. Some people prefer their partners to be their main advocates while others wish for me to take on that role. I am happy with whatever feels best to you!

Question 5

Do you provide trauma informed care?

Accepted Answer

Yes. This is something that I am very passionate about as I am a trauma survivor myself.

Trauma informed care is something that I am continuously weaving into my practice as a doula. I understand deeply how unique each individual's experience of trauma can be, and do my best to recognize the unique needs of each person I work with.

If you have a history of trauma, you do not need to disclose it to me, but you are more than welcomed to. I practice trauma informed care with all my clients.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?

If I have a midwife, will a doula still benefit me?

How does a doula work with my partner and/or family?

Will you be my advocate in the birth room?

Do you provide trauma informed care?