Doula Services

A birth doula (also called a labour doula) is an experienced professional who provides continuous labour support, both physical and emotional to the labouring person and their birth partner. They are present for your birth. That can be a hospital birth, a home birth, a car birth (we certainly hope not, but it’s definitely happened before), or anywhere in between. Birth doulas also provide educational support before and after labour and delivery.

A postpartum doula provides support after the baby is born and is there to support the new mama. They do things like help with breastfeeding, folding laundry, preparing light meals, tidying up, holding baby so mama can sleep, and they do a whole ton of education with mama to help her know what is normal in the postpartum period. For hundreds of years, we raised children in villages. New parents would have been surrounded by women who would care for her, and allowed her the time to rest after baby was born. They would educate her on how to care for her own baby, and hold that tiny infant so that the mother could rest. Nowadays, we are expected to do this all by ourselves, and many of us realize quickly that it’s not that easy to do alone. Postpartum doulas bridge that gap, assisting after birth to help new parents adjust to their new life.

What a doula is not:

A doula is not a medical professional, and does not give medical advice, perform medical procedures or make any medical decisions on your behalf.

Doulas have a lot of experience with birth and will help you understand your options, help you ask the right questions and will help you communicate them. Doulas do not advocate FOR you; they help you advocate for yourself.

Midwives are healthcare professionals who provide expert primary care to the pregnant person and their baby. A doula provides continuous care throughout labour and childbirth.

Midwives have many responsibilities including performing medical procedures, charting and monitoring both you and the baby – but can’t always be by your side coaching you through each contraction. Doulas remain by your side and provide continuous support. If you have a long birth, you may switch midwives as they change shifts, but your doula will be with you for the duration of your birth.

You can hire a doula anytime. The founder of Oona hired her doula when she was 7 weeks pregnant! Generally, we recommend reaching out to see if our doulas have availability as early as possible – they book up very fast.

It’s never too late to reach out to us – we often get requests at the last minute when people realize that they really would like to have a doula at their birth, so even if it’s late, please reach out.  We can’t guarantee we will have anyone available for you, but it’s always worth asking.  

No, not at all. Doulas do not replace your birth partner. Doulas work as a team with both of you. During your labour, your doula may give your partner a break, and provide support and reassurance to them too.

That’s just fine! Doulas provide unbiased, evidence-based support. Doulas help empower you in your choices. Modern epidurals are gradual, and the medication can be controlled. Doulas will still provide physical support for comfort and positioning and continue to provide emotional support for you and your birth partner.

Doulas are not here to judge your birth plan. They are there to support you in your choices. If you would like a completely unmedicated birth, your doula will support you in that. If you decide after labour begins that you want to throw that plan out the window and get an epidural, they will support you in that too. If your plan is to get the epidural in the parking lot before ever stepping foot in the hospital, they will support you in that too. Birth is tricky and unpredictable. We are here to support you no matter what happens.

Doulas are not medical practitioners. They may be able to provide insight from their own experience at births of what they have seen before, but their job is not medical. However, any good doula will be well aware of your birth plan and will help you achieve that and will help you communicate your desires to your medical team.

We’re glad you asked! A number of studies have been done on doula support. Here are some of the numbers. Having a doula attend your birth can help:

• Reduce your labour time
• Reduce unnecessary interventions (Pitocin, cesareans, episiotomy, etc.)
• Improve your breastfeeding relationship and bonding with your baby from the very first moment that your baby is born
• Give your birthing partner confidence

Basically, we think that doulas are the bee’s knees. We know you will too.

Every now and then things happen – doulas are at another birth, out of town, ill, etc. Thankfully, all of our birth doulas have a backup available for your birth.  Prior to your birth they will introduce you to their backup and make sure you know what to do in case you need them.  

That really depends on your insurance, but generally insurance companies don’t cover birth or postpartum doula services.  It certainly wouldn’t hurt to call them and ask though, and even better, chat with your HR department to ask for it to be added to the benefits package at renewal.  

Yes, generally our doulas are able to provide support at every hospital in the GTA.

Our birth doula packages include prenatal visits and one postpartum visit.  If you hire a birth doula and then decide you wish to have postpartum support beyond that single postpartum visit, we recommend that you ask your doula if they are available for that.  If they aren’t, we will do our best to find you someone who is available to help you.  We recommend starting this conversation early with your doula, to ensure that they will have availability for you.  

In general, most hospitals will allow a birth partner and a doula in the room during your birth.  Of course, during COVID times this was not the case, but barring another pandemic, generally you should be able to have both in the room with you.  Please make sure to ask this question of the doulas you are interviewing, because they will definitely be up to date on the rules for the hospital you are planning to birth at.