Birth Doula ServicesIn Portland, Oregon
Looking for more personalized support for your childbirth journey in Portland, Oregon or Vancouver, Washington? The doulas in our Birth First community bridge the gaps to ensure that there is at least one birth professional in the room who works just for you, knows your family’s unique hopes and goals, and is dedicated entirely to improving your childbirth experience. You deserve a personal touch on this powerful journey.
What Is A Birth Doula?
Birth doulas are professionally trained in how to support families during pregnancy, labor, birth, and immediate postpartum. Doulas do not perform any medical procedures but instead provide you and your partner with continuous emotional, physical, and informational support.
The important role of a birth doula in helping to create better birth outcomes for families is widely embraced in Portland area hospitals and birth centers. As a result, Portland doulas are welcomed into the birth room and considered a vital member of your team.
Our community of Portland birth doulas are agenda-free and never assume there’s a “right” way to give birth. Your goals are our goals, so no matter how your baby comes into this world (unmedicated birth, epidural assisted birth, or cesarean birth), your birth doula will support your family 100% so you’ll have all the tools you need to navigate the medical system, birth your baby, and make informed decisions each step of the way.
The Birth Doula Package
Packages range from $1,800-$4,000 based on the doula’s experience level and the services provided.
The Birth First Doulas community is known for having some of the most comprehensive Birth Doula Packages in the Portland Metro area, including all of the following – and often more:
Free Interviews
Most people interview 2–3 birth doulas to explore their different styles and services and to find the best fit for their family and goals.
Prenatal Visits
A trusting relationship is the foundation of doula care. Prenatal visits offer opportunities to discuss your goals and build connection.
Ongoing Contact
Your birth doula will be available via text, email, phone, and video during pregnancy and postpartum, always there when you need support.
On-Call Services
Between 37-38 weeks of pregnancy, your doula will be on-call for you 24/7, always ready to answer your call or text, providing constant reassurance and support.
Back-Up
Our team ensures reliable backup, so if your doula is unavailable due to illness, you’ll still have full support when you go into labor.
Home Support
If you prefer to be at home during early labor, your doula can offer reassurance and guidance on when to head to the hospital or birth center.
Labor Support
During active labor, your doula offers comfort, support, advocacy, and breaks for your partner to help ensure a positive birth experience.
Photos
Your doula can capture memorable moments of your baby’s birth through photos or videos, creating cherished memories for your family.
Breastfeeding Help
After birth, your doula will stay for 1-3 hours to assist with breastfeeding, support recovery, and encourage family bonding.
Postpartum Visits
Your doula will offer virtual or in-home postpartum visits to process your birth experience, answer newborn questions, and support your recovery.
Resources
Your doula will be available by phone for up to six weeks postpartum to answer questions and connect you with helpful local resources.
How BIRTH Doulas Work With You & YOur Birth Partner
Birth Doulas Support Partners
Birth doulas don’t replace the vital role of partners or family members. Instead, birth doulas empower partners to participate with greater confidence and ease, offering support so they don’t feel the pressure to know or do everything on their own.
Birth Doulas Work Collaboratively
Birth doulas take pride in working collaboratively with your medical team while advocating for your rights and preferences during labor. Your doula will work solely for you, not the hospital, ensuring that care is tailored to your unique goals and needs. Doulas are committed to supporting you every step of the way, making sure your voice is heard and your wishes are respected.
Birth Doulas Are Agenda Free
Birth doulas do not have an agenda, give advice, or assume there is a “right” way to give birth. Your goals are their goals, and they offer education and information so you can make informed decisions that are congruent with your family’s needs and values.
Birth Doulas Are Flexible
Birth doulas are flexible and know how to navigate birth’s unexpected twists and turns. If unforeseen circumstances should arise, your doula remains calm, keeps you informed on what is happening, and helps you adapt to changing circumstances. Birth doulas are attentive to your concerns, respectful of your choices, and inspire confidence in your abilities.
Why Hire A BIRTH Doula?
The many benefits of hiring a birth doula are recognized by the World Health Organization, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the National Institutes of Health. Research consistently shows that women who receive continuous support during labor from a doula are less likely to need unnecessary medical interventions and are more satisfied with their birth experience. These studies show that a doula’s continuous support, practical knowledge, and labor enhancing techniques help to reduce pain and anxiety in laboring people. When people are less frightened and feel less pain, labor is more likely to progress without the need for interventions.
Research shows that a doula’s presence during labor and birth results in the following positive outcomes:
- reduction in the rate of cesarean births
- reduction in the use of Pitocin (a contraction induction method)
- reduction in vacuum-assisted deliveries
- shorter labors
- reduction in epidural requests
- an increase in successful breastfeeding and bonding
- a reduction in “baby blues” and postpartum depression
Source: Rebecca L. Dekker, PhD, RN, APRN at evidencebasedbirth.com
Who Hires A Birth Doula?
Virtually anyone preparing for the experience of having a baby can benefit from the presence of a birth doula, including people who are looking for support with:
Unmedicated Birth
Doulas are well equipped with comfort and coping techniques that effectively support people’s goals for unmedicated vaginal delivery and avoiding pain medications and medical interventions. A doula’s skill set is made up of emotional, physical, and informational tools designed to help people achieve the experience of undisturbed childbirth within a hospital, birth center, or home setting.
Epidural Assisted Birth
Doulas can enhance the labor and birth experience of people who want to use pain relief medications by providing useful information about epidural procedures, suggesting appropriate times to receive an epidural, recommending in-bed positions that enhance labor’s progression, and offering advice on how to minimize the “cascade effect” leading to undesired interventions.
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)
A birth doula may be one of the most important and effective resources available to people striving for a VBAC. Doulas can help you “leave no stone unturned” in your effort to have a vaginal birth and help you to navigate the mental and emotional uncertainty that often accompanies this path. A doula offers indispensable reassurance and encouragement as you strive for the VBAC experience.
Out Of Hospital Birth
In a home or birth center setting, doulas offer an additional layer of ongoing emotional and physical support while your midwife focuses on your medical care and the health of your baby. In an out-of-hospital setting, doulas focus in on comfort techniques, labor progression, optimal fetal positioning, and help with tasks such as setting up the birthing tub, preparing food, and cleaning up after the birth as your midwives attend to you and your baby’s physical health.
High-Risk Pregnancy & Birth
Some pregnant people are considered to be in a higher risk category due to conditions such as IVF, advanced maternal age, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, or diabetes. Doulas can help relieve some of the anxiety and tension generated by these conditions by offering clear information and explanations, helping you to talk with medical providers about the options available to you, pointing you towards community resources, and ensuring that you have continuous support throughout your pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.
How Do Doulas Work With Partners & Family?
The role of the partner during labor is essential. Laboring people need to know that their partners are there for them and that they are on this journey together. A doula encourages partners to be the primary source of emotional support and does not attempt to replace the partner’s role.
Most partners are inexperienced with childbirth and unsure of how to offer their loving support during this unique experience. Even the most attentive partner may be overwhelmed by the hospital environment, the changes unfolding in the laboring person, and the emotions that surface in anticipation of the baby’s arrival.
While childbirth educators do their best to equip partners with useful information and techniques, it is just too much to expect partners to remember everything and to know how to assist a person through labor instinctively.
A doula’s knowledge, skills, and expertise allow partners to be less pressured and more present. Your doula will offer practical suggestions, information, and techniques as needed, which enables partners to be much more relaxed, loving, and emotionally present. A doula can provide partners with helpful tips along the way and make it possible for partners to take much-needed breaks.
There are also times when the labor or birth process can get intense or when things may take an unexpected turn. In these circumstances, partners may need as much emotional and informational support as the person in labor, and a doula can step in to reassure and care for the entire family.
How To Find A Doula?
The Portland and Vancouver metro areas have a rich and thriving doula community with lots of wonderful doulas to choose from, but all of that choice can be a little overwhelming when you’re unsure of how to find the right doula for you and your family.
When interviewing a doula it’s always good to have a list of questions ready and to ask about things that are important to you (e.g., experience level, number of births attended, specialty areas, doula style, etc.), but the level of connection you feel with a doula is equally important and trusting your gut and intuition can be especially helpful in the decision making process. The doula relationship is one of connection and trust, so notice who makes you feel most comfortable, confident, and respected.
Will A Doula Be On-Call For My Birth?
Yes, birth doulas are on-call for you late in pregnancy so you can get support right when you need it! When you reach out, your doula will promptly reply. It’s so simple but so important to know that a compassionate and knowledgeable doula is just a text, phone call, or video away.
Being on-call means your doula has her cell phone on at all times and she’ll answer your communications 24/7 once you reach 37-39 weeks. It also means she is available to show up for in-person, hands-on doula support when you go into labor.
How Much Does A Doula Cost?
Many people want to know how much a birth doula costs in Portland, Oregon. The cost of birth doula packages vary depending on several factors including the doula’s experience level, number of births attended, the range of services they provide, and other specialty skills and trainings. Currently, fees for birth doula services in the Birth First community range from $1800-$3500.
Are Doulas Covered By Insurance?
Oregon is one of the states that reimburses doula services through the state Medicaid system/Oregon Health Plan. At this time, doula services have to be provided through a Coordinated Care Organization or medical billing hub in order to qualify.
Some employer benefits like Carrot Fertility do pay for birth doulas and postpartum doulas. Find out more about how to use your Carrot Fertility benefits to pay for our birth and postpartum doulas services.
Some private pay insurance companies reimburse for all or part of doulas services depending on the insurance provider and individual plan. Please check with your insurance provider to determine eligibility.
Families can use their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) to pay for birth doula services.
How Do Doulas Work With Medical Providers?
A birth doula does not perform any medical procedures but does work collaboratively with the medical team to create a supportive atmosphere during your labor and birth.
An experienced doula knows how to create a good rapport with your nurses, midwives, and doctors while simultaneously advocating for your choices, needs, and desires.
A doula helps you to voice your needs and wishes without becoming confrontational or disrespectful, and works to maintain the delicate balance between respecting hospital protocols and ensuring your autonomy.
What Does A Birth Doula Actually Do?
People often ask us what exactly a birth doula does. Our usual response goes something like, “It depends! A doula tailors their services to each client’s unique needs, but all birth doulas provide professional support during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period.”
While this answer is true and reflects doulas’ dedication to personalized care, it doesn’t always satisfy the curiosity of those asking. Many people are eager to know more about the hands-on, practical aspects of what doulas do during a birth. To offer a clearer picture, we’ve put together a list of things doulas typically do for clients during labor. Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list and doesn’t include the many ways doulas support families during pregnancy or in the early postpartum period.We hope this gives you a better understanding of the care, expertise, and heart doulas bring to each birth.
What Is The Difference Between A Birth Doula And Midwife?
Doulas and midwives both believe that birth is a normal physiological process and work to improve people’s childbirth experiences, but their roles are quite distinct.
Midwives are medically trained professionals who are responsible for the physical health and safety of the birthing person and baby. Like doctors, midwives order medical tests, draw labs, take measurements, assess fetal heart tones, catch babies, and perform a wide range of clinical exams and procedures. Midwives also provide clients with information and emotional support, but their top priority is to ensure medical safety.
Birth Doulas, on the other hand, do not give medical advice or perform any clinical tasks. They are free of medical responsibilities and therefore able to focus entirely on improving the overall experience of birthing people and their partners. Doulas focus on the emotional, mental, and physical needs of their clients by taking the time to really listen and validate people’s feelings and experiences. Doulas provide comfort and guidance by offering understanding, evidence based information, and a wide variety of hands-on physical techniques that reduce discomfort and help labor to progress.
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Kind Words From Our Lovely Clients
“The Birth First doula we chose is truly exceptional! It was important to me to find someone who knows their stuff, but who can also keep it real, and that is exactly what I found. Both my husband and I felt completely comfortable with our doula as she supported us in our prenatal journey, throughout labor, and beyond. I felt informed and in control every step of the way with her by my side, and I know she helped my husband become a more empowered birth partner.”
Kaitlyn, Portland, Oregon
“The best decision we made in our pregnancy journey was to hire a doula from Birth First. I wanted a medication-free birth and our birth doula helped me achieve my goal with grace and strength throughout the entire process. I’m so glad we had an advocate once in the hospital and she also helped my husband stay calm and cool as he was a nervous first-time dad. Our doula helped us achieve the most beautiful birth experience we could have ever imagined. Thank you!”
Jessica, Portland, Oregon
“Our Birth First doula was always there for us before, during, and after the birth, and her calming, trusting, flexible and always listening style, coupled with her wealth of knowledge and responsiveness was a tremendous help. She was a key person on our birth team and truly instrumental during the entire birth journey. She went above and beyond, and we are so grateful! Thank you Birth First Doulas for all the support. Would definitely highly recommend!”