plural doulas
: a person trained to provide advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth
Research shows that childbirth does go more smoothly with a doula: labor is 25 percent shorter, the need for epidural pain relief is 60 percent less and the Caesarean section rate is reduced by half.—
Susan Gilbert
Susan GilbertExamples of doula in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For people without the assistance of friends or family nearby, joining a local parenting group, building community within your neighborhood, finding online support resources, or hiring a postpartum doula can lift some of the new baby stress.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 5 Aug. 2024
Helton has seen partners or doulas talk the patient out of epidurals or attempt to decide on their behalf, and stresses the importance of informed decision-making and autonomy.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024
The role of the miscarriage doula (Cartrette is a leader in the field) mirrors that of a birth doula, but works in the shadow side of motherhood.
—Olivia Jordan Cornelius, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2024
The allegations in the complaints match what eight Wisconsin women with knowledge of Baker’s practices told reporters, including midwives, doulas, health officials and mothers who trusted Baker to provide them with a natural home birth experience.
—Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for doula 
Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 5 Aug. 2024
Helton has seen partners or doulas talk the patient out of epidurals or attempt to decide on their behalf, and stresses the importance of informed decision-making and autonomy.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2024
The role of the miscarriage doula (Cartrette is a leader in the field) mirrors that of a birth doula, but works in the shadow side of motherhood.
—Olivia Jordan Cornelius, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2024
The allegations in the complaints match what eight Wisconsin women with knowledge of Baker’s practices told reporters, including midwives, doulas, health officials and mothers who trusted Baker to provide them with a natural home birth experience.
—Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for doula
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'doula.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Doula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doula. Accessed 30 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
doula
noun
dou·la
ˈdü-lə 
: a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth
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