A Doula Near Me...
The Ultimate Guide to Michigan Birth & Postpartum Doula Services
What is a doula - and why do I need one?
A doula is a trained professional equipped with the necessary tools to provide physical, educational and emotional support to families during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Essentially, the support of a doula enhances the birth and early parenting experience by reducing fear and instilling strength.
What are the different types of doulas?
Birth Doulas
(Also known as a labor doula)
Postpartum Doulas
(Also known as a postpartum & infant care doula)
Should you hire a doula?
Having a doula by your side through birth and/or the postpartum period can improve your experience dramatically.
DID YOU KNOW?
Studies show that:
Families who work with labor doulas report shorter labors, fewer interventions, and a more satisfying birth experience.
At Michigan Family Doulas we provide expert care tailored to each family’s unique journey. Whether you are seeking support for your birth or immediately after with your baby, our qualified doulas are excited to accompany you on your path to parenthood.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can enhance your birth and/or parenting experience!
Is it better to hire a certified doula?
The owner of Michigan Family Doulas, Jodi, is not only an agency owner but also a certified doula trainer with a nationally recognized organization. This further emphasizes the commitment to high standards and ethical practice within her agency and the doula profession.
As a person preparing for birth and the postpartum period who is building a support team, there are tremendous benefits to hiring a certified doula over a trained one. The first of which is having a point of accountability. With a certified doula, you have recourse in the event that there is an issue with your doula. You are able to file a grievance against them with their certification organization.
Each certification organization has a clearly written policy that they are able to take action on to keep families safe, and doulas practicing within the boundaries of their training. Additionally, if your insurance covers doulas, the doula will more than likely need to be certified in order for you to receive reimbursement.
Generally, it is safer for families to choose doulas who have completed doula certification.
How do you become a Certified Doula?
A certified doula is a trained doula who has completed the certification process outlined by their chosen certification organization.
What can I expect from my labor/birth doula?
Your labor doula, (sometimes referred to as a birth doula) is your trusted professional for pregnancy, labor and birth. Their official role is to provide evidence based information, hands-on physical comfort, and emotional support and encouragement.
Prenatal Visits
Prenatal visits to help prepare you, and enable your doula to understand your birth wishes.
24/7 On-Call & Labor Support
24/7 on-call support around your estimated due date and continuous in-person support throughout your labor and birth. During labor, they offer physical comfort techniques such as massage, positional changes, counter-pressure, and breathing techniques. The best way to set yourself up for success with your Michigan Family Doula is to have an open stream of communication leading up to your birth.
Emotional Support & Helpful Resources
Through pregnancy, birth & postpartum your doula will provide emotional reassurance for both you and your partner, along with helpful information and resources.
Do birth doulas work in hospitals and birth centers, or only at home births?
Doulas absolutely work in hospitals, birth centers, AND at home births. They go where the birthing person who has hired them chooses. Most births in the U.S. happen in hospitals, and doulas are welcome in most.
While doulas are not hospital employees, they work alongside the parents chosen medical team, never instead of it.
Whether you’re planning an unmedicated birth, an epidural assisted one, or a scheduled cesarean, your doula is there to help you feel present, grounded, and empowered every step of the way.
The Michigan Family Doula birth team has a wide area of experience spanning from VBAC specialists to homebirths and are always open to accommodating specific religious or personal preferences. The MFD birth team has experience in all the Southeast Michigan and Metro Detroit hospitals and birthing centers.
THE DOULA ROLE:
What can I expect from my postpartum doula?
The early weeks with a newborn are usually beautiful, but also can be pretty intense. Postpartum doulas are there to help ease the transition, so that new parents can rest, recover, and bond with their babies without feeling overwhelmed.
A postpartum doula meets you where you are and takes the time to learn about your parenting philosophies, feeding goals and overall wishes for your new parenting experience.
Newborn Care
Newborn care (diapering, soothing, bathing, feeding support).
Infant Feeding
Infant feeding guidance (breast, bottle, pumping, combo).
Emotional Support
Emotional support and a listening ear when you need it most.
Home Support
Practical help in the home (light tidying, meal prep, laundry).
Overnight Care
Overnight care so that you can sleep while your baby is safely cared for.
A Postpartum Doula Supports a Smooth Transition
Normalize Postpartum
Doulas help normalize the emotional rollercoaster of new parenthood without adding any pressure to “bounce back” within an expected time frame.
Family Care
By managing tasks like baby soothing, laundry, or meal prep, doulas reduce the mental and physical strain that can sometimes lead to depression or anxiety.
Emotional Support
Doulas offer a nonjudgmental ear for listening and are a constant source of reassurance during a time that often feels overwhelming and isolating.
Postpartum doulas help to reduce postpartum depression.
Postpartum doulas can play a significant role in reducing the risk and severity of postpartum depression (PPD). While they are not therapists, their presence and support can positively impact a family’s emotional well-being.
Doulas are trained to recognize the early signs of postpartum depression, anxiety, or mood disorders. When something seems beyond the scope of normal, a doula is prepared to discuss it with you and offer vetted resources beyond their professional abilities.
The steady reassurance of a postpartum doula helps new parents trust themselves which can ease the feelings of inadequacy or failure that often accompany PPD.
Their presence can be a gentle but powerful buffer against the stress, isolation, and depletion that contribute to postpartum depression.
Do postpartum doulas take care of the baby at night?
Overnight newborn care is probably the most requested doula service. The doula will gently and compassionately care for your baby through the night. They will manage feedings, soothe, change, and comfort your little one (based on your choices and philosophies) while you rest. Parents report waking up feeling more like themselves, knowing that their baby was in loving, capable hands through the night. Read more about what overnight newborn care can look like with a postpartum doula.
What does a postpartum doula do during the day?
During a day shift, a postpartum doula does all of the things that help a new family breathe easier, heal better, and ultimately feel more confident. Doula support is a blend of nurturing emotional care, hands-on, practical support, and the evidence-based guidance that enables confident decision making.
The doula's presence during the day allows for parents to ask questions, rest, and/or practice self-care while also feeling calm, comforted and secure.
What is the difference between a postpartum doula, a night nanny and a newborn care specialist?
Bringing a new baby home is one of the most profound transitions a family can experience. And while newborn care is part of that shift, it’s just one piece of a much bigger picture. For this reason, it is important to understand the difference between the types of support available to you, and why many families choose the comprehensive, emotionally intelligent support of a postpartum doula.
The Postpartum doula provides attuned, whole family support rooted in individual client preference.
A postpartum doula is trained to support not just your baby, but you as well; your recovery, your emotional well-being, your identity as a parent, your home life, your feeding choices, and your confidence. This care is deeply personal and completely adaptable from family to family. A postpartum doula is there to support the whole new parenting experience.
Unlike other types of support professionals, postpartum doulas are trained through evidence-based programs that emphasize emotional intelligence, active listening, trauma-informed care, and respect for each family's unique values.
The goal is not to “take over,” but rather to instill strength and build confidence while reducing fear and relieving anxiety. This is especially vital during a time when postpartum depression, anxiety, and isolation are more common than most people realize.
Night nannies are focused on sleep, not the whole picture.
A night nanny is typically hired to care for the baby throughout the night so that parents can rest. Their role is one that is task-oriented.
They change diapers, handle feedings, and soothe the baby back to sleep. Some night nannies bring the baby to the birthing parent for breastfeeding and then handle the rest of the night’s tasks independently.
While this can be helpful for sleep-deprived parents, most night nannies do not offer guidance on postpartum recovery, mental health, or infant development.
Some night nannies are experienced caregivers or retired nurses, while others have no formal credentials at all.
Newborn care specialists are experts in routine and structure.
Newborn care specialists (NCS) are trained to focus on just the baby. They structure feeding schedules and sleep routines. Their training is highly focused on infant behavior and development. Some will provide record-keeping on feeds, urination and bowel movements during their shifts.
While newborn care specialists are skilled in baby care, their role is less centered on the birthing parent’s physical and emotional recovery. They are not trained to support postpartum mental health or the nuanced needs of the whole family. Many operate within a rigid schedule that does not align with every parent’s philosophy.
How do postpartum doulas help with breastfeeding?
Postpartum doulas play a valuable role in supporting breastfeeding, especially in the early days and weeks post birth. While it may seem normal and natural, breastfeeding can cause stress and anxiety when you are first getting started. Once breastfeeding is well established, it can actually reduce stress and anxiety, however in the beginning, a doula can be extremely beneficial.
Postpartum doulas are specifically trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of what is normal and what is beyond the scope of normal. Having this level of professional support early on enables new parents to avoid long-term issues that stem from the difficulties of early breastfeeding.
When it comes to lactation support, the alphabet soup of certifications can be quite confusing. From IBCLCs to CLCs and CLEs, each type of lactation support specialist brings a unique…
Keep readingWhy do families choose postpartum doulas?
In the vulnerable weeks post birth, families desire to have someone with them who will support them all aspects of their recovery and care.
Someone who recognizes that exhaustion and overwhelm can coexist with bonded, attuned joy and love. They want someone there to answer their questions, dry their tears, and sit patiently while observing the quiet moments of “just becoming.” Postpartum doulas are uniquely trained to nurture the entire new family experience.
They enable the empowerment of parents, protect rest, reduce anxiety, ease feeding struggles, and promote healing. While a night nanny or newborn care specialist may help with the logistics of infant care, a postpartum doula will help you integrate this life-changing experience with more peace, more confidence, and more connection.
Jodi Graves’ experience with postpartum depression and anxiety—in a time when no one believed that postpartum depression was a real thing—was the very catalyst for her business and her healing. After hiding the shame and embarrassment of that event for years, Jodi Graves thought she was alone and that no one would ever understand. One day she decided she couldn’t hold on to it any longer! So, Jodi began weaving her story into something that could help other people. That story became Michigan Family Doulas.
When should I hire a doula?
Typically during the 2nd trimester families begin their search for labor and postpartum support. Starting this search early enables the client to utilize the doula’s support throughout the remainder of the pregnancy while also creating a bond that will contribute to more attuned support through labor and birth, and the postpartum period.
We recommend reaching out early to secure availability and begin building a relationship with your doula team.
How much does doula support cost?
Doula support is an investment in an experience that will last a lifetime. While costs vary by region and sometimes experience level, the following is a general range:
Labor Doula Packages: $1,000–$3,500
Postpartum Doula Support: $35–$65 per hour (daytime or overnight)
Some families also use Carrot benefits, FSA/HSA funds, or wellness stipends to help cover the cost of doula care. Read more about the rise of doula reimbursement programs.
Why choose a doula agency over an independent doula?
While a qualified independent doula can be a great choice, if you want peace of mind, professional oversight, and an extremely reliable experience, hiring through an agency is the better option.
The following are some of the reasons that families choose doula agencies over independent doulas:
Built-in Backup and Availability
When working with a doula agency, you are not relying on the availability of just one person. If your doula has an emergency, gets sick, or for some reason becomes unavailable, the agency provides a vetted doula who is prepared to support you. You never have to worry that you won’t have support when it matters most.
Vetted, Trained Professionals
Typically, agencies have strict hiring standards that require doulas to meet certain benchmarks in training, certification, and experience. We take this very seriously at Michigan Family Doulas and offer only the best care for our clients.
In many cases background checks, and continuing education are required. This means you're not just getting a doula, you’re getting a doula who's been screened and is being held to a high professional standard.
Streamlined Contracts and Billing
Agencies take care of the logistics such as contracts, payments, scheduling, and communication. This makes the process more efficient and professional, while allowing the doula and client to work together in a personal manner that steers clear of administrative conversations or issues.
Team-based Support
Many agencies offer a team model of care, with doulas who collaborate and communicate with you simultaneously. This provides a level of support, particularly for labor and birth that enables you to have complete familiarity with the two doulas who will share a call schedule for your due date.
Eek! Gasp!! Did she just say it’s BETTER to hire a doula from an agency? But what does ‘better’ mean? Let’s dive into what I’m talking about here…. Hiring a doula can make a significant difference in the birthing & postpartum experiences of the entire family. Doula services are becoming increasingly popular among expectant mothers.…
Keep reading
At Michigan Family Doulas, we offer both team-based and individual support options.