Jenn Campbell dispels some of the myths surrounding what doulas do and how they help families.

The word 'doula' comes from ancient Greek, meaning 'a woman who serves.'

Quite literally, a doula hired for your birth is there to serve the mother and support the family in any way she can.

Doulas do not give medical advice or replace the partner or caregiver. A doula does not diagnose medical conditions, perform clinical procedures, administer medication, interpret clinical results, prescribe medication, prescribe alternative therapies, or make medical decisions for the patient.

In some cases, a doula may also have training as a nurse or other healthcare professional. In these cases, the doula should present their healthcare services as separate from their services as a doula. Outside of that, they do so much.