Not long after I first learned I was expecting a baby, I started to ask a lot of questions about things I’d never thought of before.

Like, what’s the deal with eating deli meat during pregnancy? What is round ligament pain and how can I alleviate that discomfort?

Another question I and others have asked: What is a doula?

A doula is someone families seek out during pregnancy for support and education. Doulas support women and their partners from the prenatal period through early postpartum and may be most known for providing the precious hands-on support women cherish and come to rely on during labor and birth.

Throughout pregnancy, a doula may meet with their client two or three times to discuss nutrition and options for birth as well as to build a relationship with the pregnant person and their partner. Often, a doula can help answer questions that may not occur to a woman to ask their health care provider during their brief prenatal appointments, questions such as: How might how I feel about a previous pregnancy affect my current one? What are the tradeoffs of continuous fetal monitoring during labor? Is there a difference between receiving Pitocin to induce labor and receiving it after my baby is born?

It’s difficult to describe the experience of expecting a baby, and even more so to describe giving birth, but I think most would agree that labor can be intense and emotionally volatile. Not only do doulas help women consider the various choices they may be confronted with while they are expecting and preparing to give birth, but they help to empower women to advocate effectively for their needs and preferences as they navigate the health care system.

Doulas are often the calm, affirming voice needed when doubt or fear arise during the toughest moments of labor. And, because doulas are so familiar and comfortable with birth and the various stages of labor, they know how to provide meaningful encouragement and recommendations to a woman feeling mentally or physically exhausted, discouraged, or overwhelmed by the difficult task of birth.

A doula is also a welcomed set of extra hands when a spouse requires a much-needed bathroom break or rest from providing counter pressure hip squeezes.

So, while a doula does not replace anyone on your birth team — not doctors, nurses, spouses, or kin — they are a uniquely beneficial addition, given their extensive knowledge of the birthing process and singular focus on the laboring woman.

Following birth, a doula typically visits a client once or twice to check in on how the family is adjusting to life with a newborn in the home. Postpartum doulas specialize in that period of time, helping parents find answers to questions they may have about their physical recovery, breastfeeding, or how to locate additional community support. Postpartum doulas also help women process their birth experience, identify early signs of postpartum anxiety or depression, and give parents much-appreciated time to rest or bathe.

Mostly, doulas supporting clients during the early postpartum period provide invaluable reassurance and perspective on the many joys and challenges of the newborn phase.

When I gave birth to my daughter in April 2020, doulas were not allowed to be physically present at the hospital. I remember being so disappointed by that, but, looking back, the relationship she and I cultivated remained valuable.

Though I would have loved to have her in the room with me during labor to remind me to take a drink of water or find a new position, what I ended up appreciating most were the conversations we shared after I brought my baby home.

My doula was a supportive listener as I shared about my birth experience and the chaos of sleep deprivation. I remain deeply grateful to have had her in my corner, providing much-needed reassurance during that time. And, though I recognize doulas may not be the right fit for everyone, if asked, I’d say I think they are an incredible resource who help ease expectant, laboring, and postpartum people through the threshold of parenthood.

Did you know? The start of 2023 officially began Michigan’s new Medicaid policy of covering doula services. Doulas serving Medicaid beneficiaries must enroll as a Medicaid provider and register on the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Doula Registry. To learn more about that policy or to become a DHHS-certified doula, visit michigan.gov/doula.

Amber Bellazaire is policy analyst at the Michigan League for Public Policy.