Doulas are trained in providing emotional and physical support before, during, and after the birth process. Their support and expertise have been shown to improve labor and birth outcomes and reduce complications. By providing guidance and assistance in the postpartum period as well, doulas can ease an employee's transition back to work and provide invaluable emotional and mental support.

So how can employers facilitate these positive birth outcomes for their employees? A good place to start is by offering doula services as an employee benefit.

What are doulas?

Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous support and advocacy throughout the birthing process. Unlike midwives who are registered nurses, doulas aren't clinical professionals able to prescribe medicine, but they provide valuable physical and emotional support.

Doulas typically join the birthing person in their second or third trimester to answer questions about the birthing process and develop a birth plan. During labor, the doula can be present as a trained advocate to communicate with medical staff and facilitate comfort and support through touch and massage. Postpartum, doulas can help with breastfeeding education and offer practical support, teaching families how to care for their newborn baby.

Studies show that doula support reduces the need for C-sections and pain medication, thus leading to quicker and simpler recovery for birthing parents. Doula guidance has been shown to reduce premature deliveries and length of labor, and the emotional support they provide often reduces anxiety and stress, especially in the labor process.

By providing support in the first weeks after childbirth, postpartum doulas fill a critical and often neglected need, assisting new parents through the stress and overwhelm of this transition time.

Virtual or in-person doulas?

While doulas commonly offer in-person care, virtual doula support has also been linked to improved birth outcomes and a more empowering birthing experience. In 2023, one in three U.S. counties were considered maternity care deserts, meaning they do not have a hospital or a birth center offering any obstetric care. It's estimated that nearly 7 million women live in these maternity care deserts. Especially for employees living in these areas, access to virtual doulas can fill care gaps and provide education and support that would otherwise not be accessible to them. 

Virtual doula care has been shown to reduce the odds of C-sections for Maven members, with especially impactful results among Black Maven users specifically. Black members who met with a doula at least twice on Maven had nearly 60% decreased odds of cesarean birth, compared to Black members who did not meet with a doula.