Doulas

Partner with a volunteer doula who provides support, guidance, and companionship during the birth of your baby at UNC Medical Center.

What’s a Doula?

Birth doulas are trained professionals who offer 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.

Benefits of a Doula

When you choose to have a doula you may benefit from:

• Shorter labor
• Reduced need for medication for pain or to induce labor
• Vaginal birth with fewer complications
• High satisfaction with your labor and delivery

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 massage, coaching you through breathing technique, walking with you, bathing you, and providing birthing balls to help you find a comfortable position
• Partner support, such as guidance on how to best support you while you’re in labor and help reducing stress

Support after Labor

Enjoy your doula’s dedication to supporting you after your baby is born. Look to your doula to:

• Encourage breastfeeding
• Focus on you and to provide emotional support
• Initiate skin-to-skin contact between you and your baby immediately following delivery
• Visit you the day after your baby is born

Birth Partners

Doulas are available by request once you arrive at N.C. Women's Hospital to give birth to your baby. Check out the doula bios and read about the compassionate volunteer doulas.