What’s the difference between a midwife and a doula?

I’m asked this often, and it humbles me as I am witness to the incredible expertise and depth of knowledge of the midwives who I work beside. But before I entered the world of all things prenatal & postnatal, I didn’t understand who did what either. Let me answer that question!

The Midwife as Primary Caregiver

The role of a midwife and the role of a doula are two separate things. A Midwife is a ‘registered health care professional who provides primary care to low-risk women throughout pregnancy, labour and birth’ (Ontario Association of Midwives). A woman can choose either a physician, an obstetrician, or a midwife to be her primary caregiver. A midwife is responsible for the clinical care of you and your baby.

There is so much more to be said about midwifery care and their philosophy around birth! But that definition should clarify the role of a midwife for now. The Ontario Association of Midwives is a great resource if you want to find out more.

The Doula for Support

The word Doula is a Greek word which means ‘woman who helps women’. The role of a doula is totally separate from that of a Midwife or an Obstetrician. She is not a medical professional, but has significant knowledge about pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. A doula is hired by you, and is there to be an extra pair of hands, a calm presence, an informed assistant, an extra person ‘in your corner’, and an objective witness to help you process your birth experience. The doula has no clinical responsibility for you and your baby, and therefore is able to provide continuous informational, physical, and emotional support to you and your partner.

An important note: You can have a doula attend your birth regardless of who is your primary caregiver. She gets to know you as a couple, and her only agenda is to be in tune with the mother and her partner, your wishes, and to be intuitively aware of shifts in your needs and desires. And she never replaces your partner – doulas enable your partner to support you to his or her comfort level, in a way that feels authentic to both of you as a couple.

I will be writing more about doulas in the upcoming weeks, but if you are looking for more information right now, check out DONA (Doulas of North America International) and Doula CARE.

Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers . . . strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength.

~ Barbara Katz Rothman, Ph.D.