Understanding your birth team: Doulas vs. midwives

Preparing for the birth of your baby is an exciting journey, filled with important decisions. Among these, choosing the right kind of support for your labor and delivery is crucial. Many parents-to-be wonder about the roles of a doula and a midwife, and whether they should have one, the other, or both by their side. Though these two roles are often mentioned together, they serve distinct purposes during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Understanding the differences can help you make the best choice for your birth experience.

First it would be helpful to understand: what is a Doula?

A doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to a birthing person and their family. The role of a doula begins during pregnancy and continues through labor, birth, and postpartum. However, it’s important to note that a doula is not a medical professional and does not make any medical decisions or provide any kind of medical care to you or your baby.

So, what does that mean? What does a doula actually do for you? Here are the key responsibilities of a doula:

- Emotional Support: Doulas help alleviate anxiety by providing continuous encouragement and reassurance during pregnancy and labor.
- Physical Comfort: They use techniques like massage, breathing exercises, and positioning to help ease discomfort during labor. Each doula has their own special interests, training, gifts and abilities that are unique to them and the support they bring to the families they support.
- Information and Advocacy: Doulas help parents understand their birthing options, ensuring that they make informed decisions that align with their preferences, be that in hospital, home or birth center.
- Birth Plan Support: They help in developing a birth plan, making sure the birthing person feels empowered during the experience. Advocacy starts before your labor begins and doulas can provide the knowledge and experience to set the stage for the birth environment you desire.
- Postpartum Support: Doulas can provide guidance on breastfeeding, emotional recovery, and newborn care during the early postpartum days.

Because doulas don’t perform medical procedures or make clinical decisions, their focus is entirely on the emotional and physical well-being of the birthing person and their family.

If that is the role of a doula, now it would be helpful to understand, what exactly is a midwife?

A midwife is a trained healthcare provider who specializes in low-risk pregnancies and childbirth. They are certified medical professionals who focus on providing individualized care throughout the entire pregnancy, during labor, and postpartum. Many people experience midwifery care as being parent-centered and parent-led, and providing a more empowered and gentle approach to birth.

How do the responsibilities of a midwife differ from that of a doula?

- Medical Care: Midwives monitor the health of both the birthing person and the baby during pregnancy and birth. They conduct routine checkups, prescribe medications, and manage the delivery process. (Midwives can also provide routine gynecological care, birth control and other medical care, and that can be a blog post for another day!)
- Labor and Delivery: Midwives are trained to deliver babies and provide hands-on clinical care during the birth process, including managing complications that may arise. The are fully equipped to handle emergencies and often have close relationships with the local and nearby hospitals in the event that a hospital transfer is needed.
- Prenatal and Postnatal Care: Midwives offer comprehensive prenatal care, guide expecting parents through labor options, and provide postpartum checkups to ensure both the birthing person and baby are healthy.

In conclusion, Doula vs. Midwife: The Key Differences

1. Medical Training:
   - Doula: Provides emotional and physical support, but does not have medical training or the ability to perform clinical tasks.
   - Midwife: Is a licensed healthcare provider trained in obstetrics and childbirth.

2. Focus of Care:
   - Doula: Focuses on the emotional, mental, and physical comfort of the birthing person, advocating for their wishes and providing continuous support.
   - Midwife: Focuses on the medical care and safety of both the birthing person and baby, monitoring the labor and delivery process.

3. Presence During Labor:
   - Doula: Remains by the birthing person's side throughout labor, offering non-stop emotional and physical support and has built a rapport throughout the pregnancy.
   - Midwife: Comes in and out during labor to monitor the birthing person’s progress, but might not be present at all times unless they are the main care provider for the delivery.

4. Postpartum Role:
   - Doula: Some doulas specialize in postpartum care, helping new parents adjust, offering breastfeeding support, and assisting with newborn care.
   - Midwife: Provides medical postpartum checkups to ensure the health of both the birthing person and baby but may not stay as long for postpartum support.

Do you need both a doula and a midwife?

It’s not uncommon for expecting parents to choose to hire both a doula and a midwife to support them during childbirth, building a holistic and supportive birth team. Having a midwife provides the peace of mind that medical care is handled, while a doula offers continuous, hands-on support throughout labor and delivery. Many parents find the combination of a midwife and doula helps create a well-rounded and holistic support system.