Doula Services

What's a Doula?

Doulas are trained to give one-on-one support during labor. They provide non-medical physical and emotional care and can help with communications between the patient, the patient's family and the hospital staff.

Doulas do not replace your partner and are not midwives. See Midwife Services for information on delivering with a midwife.

What to Expect

A doula is a helpful addition at any kind of birth, including induced labors and C-section births. 

A doula who is requested by someone in labor will stay by the laboring person continuously until the baby is born, no matter how long it takes. This is regardless of whether pain medications, including epidurals, are used or complications develop. 

Doulas attend births with midwives or physicians at both our La Jolla or Hillcrest Labor & Delivery suites and at our La Jolla Birth Center.See More About Our Facilities

Cost and Availability

There are two options for doula services:

• Hearts & Hands volunteer doulas are available 24/7 to anyone delivering at UC San Diego Health. They are on call and can be requested during labor. 
• Patients can also choose to form a relationship with a doula prior to their birth. This allows for advance planning, continuity of support, and coordination with your care team. In this case, you are responsible for selecting, contacting and making arrangements directly with the doula, including doula fees and payment agreement.    

How Doulas Help

Doulas specialize in offering comfort and reassurance. Their care helps a laboring patient to feel safe and confident throughout labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period. A doula's presence:

• Helps partners participate at their own comfort level
• Assists busy hospital staff
• Increases patients' overall satisfaction with their birthing experiences

Doulas help partners and support people take an active role in the labor and birth process by offering education, reassurance and practical guidance. This allows partners to focus on emotional connection and advocating while benefiting from experienced, continuous support.

Studies show that doula care is associated with:

• Shorter labors
• Lower use of pain medications
• Reduced Cesarean birth rates

While nurses, doctors and midwives change shifts and must come and go to attend to other patients, our doula remains with the patients and their families continuously until the baby is born.

We welcome doulas in labor rooms, and our doulas are accustomed to the hospital's procedures and facilities.