Maybe when you hear the word “doula” you picture something specific. Someone niche. Someone for a particular kind of birth. Someone who isn’t quite for you. We hear that a lot at Brood. But in this modern day and age, doulas come in all shapes and sizes, with a wide range of expertise, specialties and evidence-based training. We started Brood because we saw an immediate gap in our healthcare system and as two new parents and a doula, we knew what was needed to help close said gap, because we had experienced it ourselves. And then families come home from the hospital — exhausted, overwhelmed, in love and also completely underwater — and say the same thing: I wish I’d known sooner. This is that post. Everything you actually need to know about birth and postpartum doula care — what it is, what it isn’t, why the research backs it, and how to find the right support for your family.
What is a doula?
A doula is a trained, non-medical care worker who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to birthing people and their families — before, during, and after birth. That “non-medical” part matters. Doulas don’t deliver babies, perform procedures, or diagnose anything. What they do — consistently, reliably, in the room with you — is stay. They advocate. They explain. They help you feel less alone in one of the most intense experiences of your life.
The research on doula support is significant. A major Cochrane Review — one of the most rigorous forms of medical evidence — found that continuous labour support reduces the likelihood of caesarean birth by 25%, decreases the use of pain medication, and increases overall satisfaction with the birth experience.
DONA International, the world’s largest doula-certifying organization, notes that doula support is also correlated with lower rates of postpartum depression and anxiety, increased breastfeeding initiation, and stronger parent-infant attachment.
The work of doulas today is due to the many generations of birth workers that came before us. Primarily Black and Indigenous, these women had to fight to preserve their ancestral knowledge and to be compensated and respected for their sacred work. Without their radical commitment, this wisdom would have been lost. We honor their work, expertise, and perseverance. We are in awe of every single birth worker, educator, parent, activist, and medical professional that has fought to make family care accessible and affirming for all.
What’s the difference between a birth doula and a postpartum doula?
There are many types of doulas — death doulas, full-spectrum doulas, gender transition doulas, loss doulas. Having a deeper understanding of the scope of care that doulas provide is essential for picking the right person for your care team. Keep in mind all doulas offer something slightly different depending on their experience, support packages and personalities, but at Brood here is what you can expect from a birth doula and a postpartum doula (keep in mind, some doulas do both, and some don’t!). This post focuses on birth and postpartum support, which is the core of what Brood does. Here’s how they’re different.
Brood Birth Doulas provide →
- On call support 24 hours/day, 7 days/week – after 36 weeks gestation
- Ongoing text and email support throughout pregnancy and immediate postpartum
- Prenatal sessions with a focus on childbirth education, postpartum planning and understanding your birth preferences
- Continuous labour support with hands on care throughout
- First feed and latching support
- 1-2 postpartum sessions
- Birth debrief
Brood Postpartum Doulas provide →
- Day and/or night shifts, sibling doula care, and support while traveling
- Aid in education about postpartum healing
- Newborn care: assistance with soothing, diapering, bathing, feeding and sleep
- Sleep support for the whole family
- Nursing, bottle and feeding counsel
- Formula and/or bottle preparation and sterilization
- Home upkeep, tidying
- Encouraging the support of mental health and wellness by helping you stay connected to other healthcare and wellness practitioners
- Learn more about postpartum doulas here.
What’s the difference between a midwife, doula and OB-GYN?
We get this question all the time! Having a better understanding of the scope of each type of care provider will allow you and your family to make an informed decision on what will work best for you. Doulas, midwives, and obstetrician/gynecologists (OB-GYNs) are all essential members of the family healthcare team, each with distinct roles and responsibilities.
Doula ↓
- A doula is a non-medical professional who provides physical, emotional, and informational support to individuals and their families before, during, and after birth.
- Doulas do not perform medical procedures or provide clinical care but focus on offering comfort measures, advocacy, and guidance to enhance the birthing and postpartum experiences.
- Doulas aren’t just for those looking to have a home birth, they work in all settings and often with midwives and OB-GYN’s, as part of a larger healthcare team!
- Provide continuous support during labor and delivery, helping families navigate their options, communicate their preferences to medical staff, and cope with the physical and emotional challenges of childbirth.
- Doulas may specialize in various areas, such as birth, postpartum, bereavement, or cultural support, tailoring their services to meet the unique needs of their clients.
- Postpartum doulas do both day and night shifts, focused on postpartum education and support to help you heal, gain confidence and be a more resourced parent.
Midwife ↓
- A midwife is a healthcare professional trained to provide primary care to individuals across the lifespan, with a focus on reproductive health, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum care.
- Midwives can provide a range of services, including prenatal exams, labor and delivery support, postpartum care, and family planning.
- They emphasize holistic care, often incorporating a combination of medical interventions and natural approaches to promote healthy pregnancies and childbirth experiences – through client-centered care.
- Midwives can attend births in various settings, including hospitals, birth centers, and homes, and they work collaboratively with obstetricians and other healthcare providers when needed.
- Learn more about the differences between midwives and doulas, and how they work together, here.
Obstetrician/Gynecologist (OB-GYN) ↓
- An obstetrician/gynecologist is a medical doctor specializing in the management of pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health.
- OB-GYNs provide comprehensive prenatal care, perform deliveries, manage high-risk pregnancies, perform surgical procedures (such as cesarean sections), and offer gynecological services, including annual exams, contraception, and treatment for gynecological conditions.
- They have extensive medical training and are licensed to diagnose and treat medical conditions related to pregnancy and the reproductive system.
- While OB-GYNs primarily focus on the clinical aspects of childbirth and reproductive health, they may work alongside midwives and doulas to provide holistic care that addresses the physical, emotional, and medical needs of their patients.
Each plays a crucial role in ensuring safe, empowering, and individualized care for individuals throughout their reproductive journey. Here’s the part that surprises most families: you don’t choose between them. A doula doesn’t replace your midwife or OB — they work alongside them. Your clinical team manages your medical care. Your doula manages your experience of it.
Why should you hire a birth and postpartum doula?
Ok, so now you know what a doula is and how they can support you, but maybe you’re still undecided and want to know more reasons why you should hire one. Let’s break it down even further. Here are some of the top reasons why you should be hiring a doula, whether you’re a seasoned parent (growing your family) or a first-time parent.
- Continuous Support: A doula provides unwavering support throughout pregnancy, delivery and postpartum, ensuring you feel empowered and comforted every step of the way.
- Advocacy: Your doula is your advocate, ensuring your voice is heard and your preferences are respected by medical staff, in any environment.
- Evidence-Based Information: Doula support includes providing evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions about your birth plan and postpartum healing.
- Non-medical Comfort Measures: From massage techniques to breathing exercises, doulas offer a variety of comfort measures to help manage pain and promote relaxation during labor and your early days home.
- Emotional Support: Doulas offer compassionate emotional support, helping you navigate the highs and lows of parenthood with confidence and resilience.
- Community Involvement: Doulas support partners and other family members too, providing guidance and reassurance so they can actively participate in your birthing and postpartum experiences.
- Reduced Intervention Rates: Studies show that doula support is associated with lower rates of medical interventions, including cesarean sections and epidurals.
- Postpartum Care/Night Nurse Services: Doulas provide valuable postpartum support, assisting with newborn care, feeding your baby (whether you are breast/chestfeeding, using a bottle or an SNS), and emotional wellness during the early days (or nights!) and weeks.
- Personalized Care: Each childrearing journey is unique, and doulas tailor their support to meet your individual needs and preferences.
- Empowerment: Above all, hiring a doula is about empowering yourself to have the experiences you desire, supported by a caring and knowledgeable professional.
How much does a birth or postpartum doula cost in Canada?
Doula costs vary by location, experience, and scope of services. Birth doulas in Canada generally range from $800–$3,000. Brood birth doula packages range from $1,100–$2,500, structured on the Green Bottle Sliding Scale so families can access care at a rate that works for them.
Postpartum doulas generally charge $35–$65/hour for day support. Overnight shifts (at Brood, always 10pm–6am) sometimes run higher. Brood day shifts are 5 hours minimum; you choose the hours. Brood doulas are priced the same for day time or overnight shifts. For a full breakdown of current rates and packages, visit our services page.
Does insurance cover doula care?
More often than families expect. Many extended health benefit plans in BC and Alberta include doula services under paramedical coverage — but coverage language varies by provider and plan.
In both the US and Canada, accessing doula services isn’t as straightforward as visiting a doctor or dentist—at least not yet. Although some extended benefits do explicitly cover doula services, securing coverage for doula support can often be challenging, prompting individuals to explore alternative avenues for assistance.
The best first step: call your benefits provider and ask directly whether doulas are covered and under which category. Many Health Spending Accounts (HSAs) also apply. We’ve helped many Brood families navigate this — read our full insurance guide here.
If you’re planning a baby shower with a registry, why not consider adding a doula fund as a priority item or even the sole focus? While cute onesies and stuffed animals may be tempting, prioritizing your well-being and support during this transformative time is paramount. Trust us, it’s a decision you won’t regret. Many families in our Brood community have found creative solutions, such as crowdfunding their doula services. By pooling cash gifts from family, friends, and colleagues, they invest in the care they deserve.
Where and when do you hire a doula?
You can hire a doula at any point — from early pregnancy right through to 36 weeks. We recommend researching and booking in your first or early second trimester. The earlier you’re connected, the more your doula can support your birth planning and postpartum preparation. Their rate stays the same either way — but the relationship, and the impact, deepens with time.
You can find doulas through Google, community groups, your midwife or OB, or a vetted doula agency like Brood. Because doula practice is unregulated in Canada, training standards vary significantly between independent practitioners. At Brood, every doula has completed:
- Completed a vetted and trusted doula training program
- An up-to-date First Aid Training and CPR-C certification
- Criminal record check, with a vulnerable sector check
- Completion of a thorough application, in-person interview, and multiple references
- Guided hands-on Brood training and onboarding, with our founder (and full spectrum doula!) Emma
You can hire a doula anytime (from conception through to 36 weeks – we’ve seen it all!), though we recommend researching and hiring a doula late in your first trimester to early in your second trimester. We always say – your doula will cost the same, but having their care early on can create a felt impact in your birth planning and postpartum preparations!
What are the benefits of hiring a birth or postpartum doula through an agency like Brood?
At Brood, we value all types of caregivers, practitioners and doulas and many of our own contractors work for themselves as well as our agency. Our aim is to take care of the careworkers so they can show up and do what they do best for our families which includes being Living Wage Certified. When they work with us, they can focus their energy on the carework itself, instead of marketing, business and billing.
We offer 1 on 1 mentorship, a tight-knit community of care workers, and reliable back-up and debrief support. We provide our team with complimentary mi-monthly trainings and workshops because we believe in the power of continuing education and see the impact it has on our families. For the newer doulas on our team – we offer shadowing on shifts, 1on1 support and extra education. We have an onboarding program for every one of our caregivers that includes our 7 Care Principles, which is what makes Brood’s care special! We’ve created this original set of values, approaches, and expectations of our care work — crafted from decades of front-line care work, parenting, and community building experience..
Hiring a doula through an agency like Brood can often offer families peace of mind, because we’ve vetted, interviewed and selected our doulas based on our standards of care. Then, we get to know you and can help match you with the ideal doula for you – so you can get the quality of care you need and deserve, faster! Curious about more? Reach out!
If you’re interested in hear more from us, don’t forget to check out our blog → with more informative and joyful reads like: Navigating Diet Culture’s Impact on Pregnancy and Parenting, One and Done? I Want to Give My Son A Sibling But I Have PPD PTSD, and When Motherhood & Doula Practices Collide.
FAQ
Q: What’s the difference between a birth doula and a postpartum doula?
A: A birth doula supports you during labour and delivery — on call from 36 weeks, present throughout your birth. A postpartum doula supports you after baby arrives, coming into your home to help with newborn care, feeding, sleep, and your recovery. Some doulas specialize in one; some do both.
Q: Do I need a doula if I already have a midwife?
A: Yes — they serve completely different roles. Your midwife manages your medical care. Your doula manages your experience of it. They work alongside each other, not instead of each other.
Q: Are doulas certified in Canada?
A: Doula practice is unregulated in Canada, which means certification standards vary. Rather than asking whether someone is “certified,” ask about their training program, hands-on experience, and what ongoing education they maintain. At Brood, we use the term “vetted” — every doula on our team meets a rigorous set of training and screening standards.
Q: How do I know if a doula is right for me?
A: The right doula is part skill, part fit. Look for someone whose approach resonates with your values, who communicates clearly, and who has backup coverage if they’re unavailable. If you’re working with an agency, a care coordinator can help match you.
Q: Can I use extended health benefits to pay for a doula?
A: Many families in BC and Alberta can — but it depends on your specific plan. Call your benefits provider, ask if doula services are covered under paramedical or allied health, and check whether your HSA applies. Read our full coverage guide here.
Q: When should I hire a doula?
A: As early as possible — ideally in your first or early second trimester for birth support, and by the third trimester for postpartum planning. Brood doulas book up; the earlier you connect, the better your match options.
Quick links shared in this article ↓
- Top 8 Doula Myths
- Emma’s Doula Journey
- Brood’s Birth Story
- Meet Brood, the Vancouver-Based Doula Agency Changing Pre- and Postpartum Care
- Reproductive Justice and Doulas
- A lineage of Loss and Love
- Abortion Care Workers Need Support Too
- Hold up, what is a doula?
- Doula Care Fact Sheet
- The Historical Significance of Doulas and Midwives
- What Can a Doula Do For Me?
- Postpartum Insomnia: When Counting Sheep Just Isn’t Enough
- Who you are affects how you care
- Doula vs. Midwife: The Differences and How to Choose
- 5 Reasons To Hire a Doula
- Mental Health During the Postpartum Period
- Evidence on: Doulas
- A doula’s guide to c-sections
- What the heck is a Night Nurse?
- Brood’s Green Bottle Sliding Scale
- Brood’s Doula Services
- How do I get my doula care covered by insurance?
- Crowdfunding Your Birth & Postpartum Doula Care With Brood
- The best baby shower gift? Postpartum Support.
- Everything You Need to Know About Doula Certification and Requirements
- BC’s First Certified Living Wage Doula Care Agency
- Brood’s Seven Care Principles
- Brood’s Blog
