Choosing your maternity care provider is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make during pregnancy. While every provider has a different personality and practice style, there’s one thing that we want you to pay particular attention to: Does your provider support having a doula at your birth?
If they don’t support doulas at births, this could be a red flag and is worth investigating further. Why? Because the nation’s leading organization for OB-GYNs just made its position incredibly clear based on mountains of evidence about improved outcomes for mothers and babies when doula support is involved. (Read more at Evidence Based Birth® Evidence on: Doulas.)
ACOG Now Officially Encourages OBs To Partner With Doulas
Last week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a new Committee Statement, Partnering with Doulas in Clinical Settings. Rather than viewing doulas as outsiders, ACOG encourages obstetric providers to build collaborative relationships with doulas because they improve patient experiences and support better outcomes.
This is hopefully a significant shift towards something that doulas have always known: birth works best when everyone is on the same team.
Good Providers Aren’t Threatened by Doulas
A confident, patient-centered provider understands that doulas don’t replace medical care.
Doulas provide:
- Continuous emotional support
- Physical comfort measures during labor
- Evidence-based education
- Help with communication and informed decision-making
- Support for partners, who often appreciate guidance during labor
Meanwhile, your OB (or midwife) focuses on keeping you and your baby medically safe. These roles complement each other beautifully.
If Your Provider Says “You Don’t Need One…”
Instead of simply accepting that response, ask:
- “Can you tell me why?”
- “Have you worked with doulas before?”
- “How do you typically collaborate with them?”
Their answers often reveal a lot about their philosophy of care.
A provider who welcomes respectful collaboration usually values shared decision-making and recognizes that labor support benefits families. A provider who dismisses doulas outright may be operating from outdated assumptions rather than current professional guidance. ACOG specifically encourages clinicians to understand doulas’ roles, educate patients about their benefits, and foster collaborative relationships.
Your Birth Team Should Feel Like a Team
No provider is perfect. No doula is perfect. But your care team should all have the same goal: helping you have the safest, most supported birth possible.
With your Iowa Baby Ladies doula team, our doulas love working alongside physicians, midwives, nurses, and hospital staff who value collaboration. We believe everyone brings unique expertise to the birth room, and families benefit when that expertise works together. If you would like recommendations for providers who have a history of working collaboratively with expecting parents and doulas, we would be happy to share the names of OBs/providers we love attending births alongside!
The bottom line? If a provider immediately discourages doula support, don’t ignore that feeling. Ask questions, gather information, and make sure your care team reflects the kind of birth experience you want.
Interested in reading the new ACOG information for yourself? Visit: ACOG Releases New Guidance for Ob-Gyns on Partnering with Doulas | ACOG
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