What is a Doula and Why Should I Want One? You may or may not have heard of a doula before. Maybe this is the first time you’ve heard the word “doula”. If so, you probably are wondering “What is a doula?” And secondly, you are probably wondering “Why should I want one?” If you’re curious to learn more, read on! What is a doula? A doula is an additional support person for the mother-to-be. The word doula actually means “woman’s servant”, and that is just what they do – serve women. There are two types of doulas: birth doulas, and postpartum doulas. They act like guides throughout a mother’s pregnancy, labor, and postpartum experience, helping the mother to find resources and get answers to all of her questions regarding her birth experience. Birth doulas are trained and experienced in providing emotional support, physical comfort measures, and unbiased information to the laboring mother and her partner or other support persons. They also provide informational and emotional supp...