Family Story

What is a doula?

A doula is a person who is trained to help you have a healthy pregnancy, prepare for birth and parenting, and provide support to you and your family before, during and just after birth. 

What can you expect from your doula?

Your doula will meet with you throughout pregnancy and postpartum and attend your birth in-person.  

Before birth:​ ​During prenatal meetings, your doula can help you prepare for childbirth, talk with you about healthy pregnancy, and help you practice coping techniques to manage discomfort during labor. Your doula is also available by phone and can connect you with local resources if needed. 

During labor:​ ​Your doula typically supports you by phone during early labor and joins you in-person once you are in active labor. They will stay with you throughout the duration of your labor and birth, and will provide continuous physical and emotional support, as well as encouragement, to both you and your support person, if present. A doula will also help you put into practice those coping techniques and comfort measures you may have practiced during your prenatal meetings, as well as provide new suggestions as your labor progresses.

After birth:​ A doula usually stays for a short time after the birth. If you would like, your doula will then visit you at home within a week of delivery for a postpartum meeting to answer any questions about things like feeding, newborn care, and to talk about your birth story. Your doula will visit you again within the first three months and will be available by phone.

What doulas CAN do: 

Doulas ​CAN​ offer suggestions and give you choices. A doula can help you understand typical labor as well as your own individual birth experience and preferences. A doula can also help you get the evidence-based information that you need to make informed decisions about the birth of your baby, and provide physical support during your labor.

What doulas CANNOT do: 

Doulas ​DO NOT​ perform medical tasks or procedures like checking blood pressure, fetal heart rate, or your cervix for dilation. They don’t speak for you when decisions need to be made; decisions are the responsibility of you and your support person. They do not talk to other organizations or agencies about you unless you give them explicit permission. Doulas take no personal or professional responsibility for the outcome of the birth. Also, doulas do not provide childcare before, during or after the birth.

Doula care is an optional program. To receive doula care, please review and agree to the following:

Your Responsibility as a Client:

We look forward to working with you! Our doulas are passionate about supporting clients through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Please know that​ your doula is a trained professional who makes an enormous commitment to be available to you during your pregnancy and birth​. In turn, we ask that you honor your doula’s commitment to you and your family by:

• Arriving at your scheduled meetings in a timely manner and canceling if you are unable to attend.
• Responding to communication from your doula within a reasonable time frame and informing your doula as soon as possible if your contact information changes.
• Calling your doula when you go into labor. 

Release of Information:

I give permission to On Up and its contracted doula organizations and doulas to share information regarding my care with others involved​ in my care which may include my OB/Midwife, health plan care manager, public health nurses, care providers, etc.

Communicating with On Up and your Doula:

You, your doula, and On Up may communicate in multiple ways including text, phone, video visit, mail, and voicemail. Some forms of communication may not be secure. Text messages are not a secure form of communication. Text messages travel over cellular networks. Text messages may also be seen by someone else if you share a phone, let someone else use your phone, or lose your phone. Voicemails may not be secure if someone other than you has access to your voicemail and listens to the message. If you would like to communicate with On Up and your doula by text and if you would like On Up and your doula to leave voicemails please sign below. You do not have to agree to texting and voicemails to participate in the On Up doula care program. At any time you may decide to stop receiving text messages and voicemails by notifying On Up and your doula.