One of the most common questions I get asked when I tell people I’m a doula is, “so…is that like a midwife?” It’s a common confusion since, for most people, both midwives and doulas fall somewhere in the realm of “something that has to do with birth? And maybe just unmedicated birth? Kinda crunchy?” So, read on to learn about the differences between doulas and midwives!
What is a midwife?
A midwife is a medical provider whose main focus during birth is the safety + health of the birthing person and the baby. A midwife can be hired instead of an OB/GYN and be the sole medical provider at your birth. Midwives are often hired by hospitals, and many midwives have private practices where they work at a birth center or support home births. Midwives are experts in managing the complexities of birth.
What is a doula?
A doula is a non-medical support person who is hired in addition to your medical provider (either a midwife or OB/GYN). A doula’s main focus during birth is the physical comfort + emotional wellbeing of the birthing person and partner(s). Doulas are experts in providing education, advocacy + physical support techniques during birth.
Can someone hire both a midwife and a doula?
Absolutely! As you can see, while midwives and doulas both fall under the umbrella of “birth professional,” they provide very different and complementary services to a birthing person and family.
