The Difference between Doula
Doulas take on many roles in our parenting and life journey. Each doula has a trained specialty, sometimes they are trained in multiple areas of support. There are 4 major doula roles: birth doula, postpartum doula, bereavement doula, and death doula. There are smaller subsets of each role like doulas who specialize in miscarriage support or placenta encapsulation or breastfeeding.
What is a birth doula?
A birth doula supports families in pregnancy and through labor and birth. They provide hands-on education and resources about pregnancy and birth. They can help you write a birth plan and attend your birth as a physical and emotional support person. After the birth they can help you process your birth experience and provide you with a timeline of events from their perspective to help you write your birth story.
What is a postpartum doula?
A postpartum doula supports families after birth. They offer practical support like meal prep, housecleaning, infant care and breastfeeding education. Postpartum doulas work during the day or night to help your family transition into life with a new little one. Postpartum doulas will help you write a postpartum plan and will offer in-person support weekly throughout the fourth trimester or as long as you need it.
What is a bereavement doula?
A bereavement doula supports families through pregnancy loss including miscarriage, stillbirth and terminal diagnosis. Support looks different for each family but often includes physical support like housekeeping and cooking or emotional support like counseling. Sometimes, bereavement doulas provide support through subsequent pregnancies to help ease fears and provide information on pregnancy after loss.
What is a death doula?
Death doulas are sometimes referred to as “end of life doulas.” They offer emotions, physical, spiritual and logistical support to people who are dying and people whose loved ones have died. Death doulas can help family members plan funerals, arrange cremation/embalming while also helping living family members process their grief.
There is no one size fits all to the care that you receive around pregnancy, birth and death. Have the support of a non-medical companion can help you process and plan for your own experience.