Talk Birthy to Me: What Does a Birth Doula do?
Having a Birth Doula to support you—and your partner—during labor, birth, and beyond, can make a difference in your overall care. From emotional support to pain management and advocacy for your preferences, we’re going to tell you all the benefits of hiring a Birth Doula.
Welcome!
We’re so happy you are here today. The Family Foundations Agency is a Nationwide team of Birth & Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialist. We connect growing families like yours with trusted providers in your community.
What Is a Birth Doula?
A birth doula is a trained professional who provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and just after childbirth. Unlike a medical provider, a doula is not there to deliver the baby—they’re there to care for you.
Their role is to make sure you feel safe, supported, and empowered throughout your birth experience—no matter where or how you give birth.
How does a Birth Doula Supports Birthing Parents?
From your first contractions to your first moments holding your baby, your doula is a steady, calming presence.
They provide:
Continuous in-person support during labor (at home, birth center, or hospital)
Encouragement and emotional reassurance
Hands-on comfort techniques (like massage, counterpressure, or acupressure)
Position suggestions to support labor progress and comfort
Help understanding medical options and communicating your preferences
Advocacy for your birth plan (without making decisions for you)
Support with the first latch or feeding after birth
What Pain Management Techniques Do Doulas Use?
Doulas are trained in a wide range of non-medical comfort techniques that can help manage labor pain naturally, including:
Breathing techniques to stay grounded and reduce tension
Counterpressure for back labor
Rebozo work or hip squeezes to reduce pelvic pain
Warm or cold compresses
Visualization and affirmations
Guided movement and positioning
Support with hydrotherapy (showers or birth tubs)
Whether you want an unmedicated birth or plan to use an epidural, your doula supports your choices and helps you stay as comfortable and empowered as possible.
What is a Rebozo?
How is a Rebozo used for Pain Management?
There are several ways a doula can use a rebozo for pain relief during labor:
Rebozo Manteada (Sifting): This is a gentle sifting or rocking technique where the rebozo is wrapped around the laboring woman's belly and gently jiggled from side to side. This movement is thought to relax tight uterine ligaments and abdominal muscles, promoting relaxation and potentially helping to position the baby for labor.
What About My Partner—Do They Still Have a Role?
Absolutely. Doulas do not replace partners—in fact, they help strengthen the partner’s role.
Many partners want to be involved but don’t always know how to help. A doula can:
Guide partners in how to offer physical support (like where to press during contractions)
Offer breaks when partners need to rest or eat
Reassure partners during intense or unexpected moments
Help both parents stay calm and connected throughout labor
With a doula present, partners often feel more confident, included, and calm—and birthing parents feel even more supported.
Having a Birth Doula can reduce your risk of a C-Section by up to 39%
Doula vs. Midwife: What's the Difference?
While both support birth, doulas and midwives have very different roles:
A Birth Doula provides emotional support, advocacy for your birth preferences, and physical pain management throughout your pregnancy, labor, and. birth.
A Midwife is a trained healthcare professional who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and newborn care. Midwives provide medical care to low-risk pregnant people and are experts in normal physiological birth. They can practice in hospitals, birth centers, or home birth settings, depending on their credentials and state regulations.
Think of it this way: the midwife manages your clinical safety, and the doula tends to your comfort, emotions, and experience.
They work beautifully together.
When Should I Hire a Birth Doula?
The earlier, the better—so you can:
Build trust with your doula during pregnancy
Get help creating or refining your birth plan
Learn labor prep, positions, and breathing techniques ahead of time
Feel reassured knowing who will be there for you when labor begins
Some families hire a doula as early as the first trimester, while others decide closer to the third. Whenever you’re ready, we’re here. Whether you're giving birth in a hospital, birth center, or at home, a birth doula can bring peace, presence, and perspective to the experience. You don’t have to know what kind of birth you want yet. You don’t have to be “crunchy” or “natural” or know what counter-pressure means.
You just have to know this: you deserve support.
