World Doula Day is celebrated annually on March 22 to kick off World Doula Week. VDH is using this opportunity to recognize the professionals who assist women during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, and to highlight our program to certify Doulas in Virginia.
What is a Doula?
Doulas are trained professionals who provide guidance through childbirth or other reproductive health experiences, including miscarriage, abortion, or stillbirth. In recent years, the term “doula” has also been applied to professionals who support people through non-pregnancy related health experiences such as death (end-of-life doulas).
Doulas are birth companions who provide emotional, physical, and informational support during childbirth and in the postpartum period. They may also act as an advocate, supporting the woman’s right to make health decisions regarding her own body and the baby. Unlike partners, family members, or friends who may be present during birth, doulas have a formal training in birth support. Doulas are not medical professionals because they are not trained to provide medical treatment, but they are a critical part of the patient’s care team.
What are the benefits of having a doula present during childbirth? According to statistics, doula support is associated with:
- shorter delivery times
- fewer C-sections and birth complications
- fewer analgesic and epidural requests
- less time in the NICU
- more satisfying birth experiences, and
- increased breastfeeding.
The support of a doula also increases new parents’ confidence in taking care of the newborn.
What is VDH’s Doula Program?
VDH manages Virginia’s State-Doula Certification Program. A State-Certified Doula is a trained, community-based nonmedical professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a pregnant woman. They will provide support throughout pregnancy, at labor and delivery, and after the pregnancy. A Virginia State-Certified Doula must be approved by the Virginia Certification Board (VCB).
Learn more about Virginia’s State-Doula Certification Program.