Doulas
Partner with a volunteer doula who provides support, guidance, and companionship during the birth of your baby at UNC Hospitals.
How to Request a Birth Partners Doula
Birth Partners doula services are free and available to patients giving birth in N.C. Women’s Hospital in Chapel Hill. If you will be giving birth at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, you are welcome to request a doula upon your arrival. If they are available, they will come to support you. If the doula on the labor and delivery floor is already working with a family, they will reach out to the other doulas on our team to see if another volunteer can come in to support you. We do our very best to pair doulas with clients when requested!
What’s a Doula?
Birth doulas are non-medical members of the health care team who are prepared to provide physical, emotional, and informational support to clients before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Doulas work closely with the labor and delivery team to help families have a healthy and positive birthing experience.
Research Supports Doula Care
Studies show that there are many benefits to continuous labor support, including:
- Shorter labor
- Reduced need for medication for pain or to induce labor
- Vaginal birth with fewer complications
- High satisfaction with the labor and birth experience
Doula Support During Labor
Depend on your doula to help you feel comfortable and supported during labor through:
- Emotional support, including spoken praise and encouragement
- Physical support, including healing touch, coaching you through breathing techniques, walking with you, and providing birthing balls and other approaches to help you find a comfortable position
- Support your loved ones during the labor and birth experience and share suggestions on how they might best support you while you’re in labor
Support after Labor
Enjoy your doula’s dedication to supporting you after your baby is born. Look to your doula to:
- Initiate skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby immediately following birth
- Provide basic lactation support
- Provide a listening ear as you share and process your birth experience
