Know your support options, make an informed decision.

This is the most common type of doula; birth doulas are also referred to as labor doulas.

Birth doulas begin to support the birthing person a few weeks before the birth — as early as 12 weeks — to about an hour after birth. Support often intensifies as the birthing person approaches 36 weeks.

By supporting the birthing person through education, companionship, spiritual, mental, and physical needs rather they deliver by schedule C-section or vaginal birth.

Birth doulas make the process of pregnancy and labor a much more positive experience for the birthing person.

As the second most popular type of doulas, a postpartum doula focuses on providing support to the birthing person and newborn in the first 6 weeks after birth.

Postpartum support could extend longer if the birthing person had a more difficult birth or experienced postpartum depression.

Postpartum doulas can show the birthing person the best methods of breastfeeding as well as other aspects of infant care such as bathing the baby. Since many birth doulas stay to support the birthing person after childbirth, birth doulas transition into postpartum doulas during this time.

A full spectrum doula is a non-medically trained community care worker who offers support to people during the full spectrum of pregnancy – from preconception, to birth, to abortion, to miscarriage, to adoption, to postpartum.

Full spectrum birth workers actively practice being open and aware of the diverse reproductive needs and experiences people have, considering their identity, background, preferences, lived experiences, and so on. While this doesn’t mean full spectrum doulas will say “yes” to every client, it does mean that they prioritize being accessible, inclusive, and culturally appropriate.

When (not if) there’s a client that is not a good fit or the doula doesn’t have the capacity or skills to serve the client, they do their best to make an appropriate and vetted referral.