The Postpartum Doula's Role in Maternity Care


The terminology describing doula's can be confusing. While a birth doula is professionally trained to provide support to the woman and her partner during labor and birth, a postpartum doula acts as a supporting advisor and helper, professionally trained to provide postpartum support to the mother and her family.

The birth of a baby represents a profound and permanent life change for the parents and other family members. For new parents the challenges are numerous. Total responsibility for a tiny dependent newborn, sleeplessness, emotional adjustment, mastery of infant feeding and care, as well as understanding of and adjustment to the unique personality of their baby is a big life changing experience. Throw in household organization and parents find they need more support at home then they had expected.

In times past, new parents could usually depend on their own parents, other family members or friends to assist them. While these resources are still available today, other demands such as distance make it difficult to meet the new family's needs. The importance of support, advice and assistance in the weeks following a birth cannot be overemphasized.

The ways in which the woman, baby, partner and siblings make the transition to the new family unit have a long-term impact on their physical and emotional health. With the doula's education, quiet support and guidance, she is able to offer the traditional postpartum support that our society is missing.

Current research by experts tells us what many have long suspected-that those new parents who have support and feel secure and cared for during this time are more successful in adapting than those who don't. Studies have shown that cultures in which women are cared for by others for defined period of days or weeks and are expected to only nurture themselves and their babies during that time have:

  • superior outcomes in postpartum adjustment.
  • greater breastfeeding success
  • greater self-confidence
  • less postpartum depression
Doulas are trained in postpartum adjustment, newborn characteristics, care, feeding and promotion of parent-infant bonding. They are experienced in supporting families through their postpartum experience. Coming into the home during the fourth trimester following birth, the doula's role is to provide education, non-judgmental support and companionship. This also involves assisting with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light day to day household tasks.

Postpartum doulas offer evidenced-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and can provide resources when necessary.

By "mothering the mother", the doula enables the new mother to recover from pregnancy and birth and focus her energy on bonding with the new baby. Giving the new mom/parents/families support in the early weeks helps provide early parenting success.

The role of the doula is one of non-medical support. Doctors, midwives, nurses and others are responsible for the health and well-being of the mother and baby. The doula meets the practical and psycho-social needs of the family.