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 Gilbert
Examples of doula in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Honeycutt, a birth photographer and doula, declined to comment.
—Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Given the statistics, Valentine worked with a birthing doula, a person trained to provide emotional, physical and educational support for an expectant mother or one who has recently given birth.
—Zinhle Essamuah, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2023
The hospital — located in an area in which 40% of the residents live in poverty — welcomes doulas, boasts a diverse obstetrics team, has staff specially trained to support moms in breastfeeding and provides water tubs to patients in labor.
—Bracey Harris, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2023
Massachusetts is part of a wave of states moving to implement coverage of doula services, including New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2023
Freeman is now a pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula.
—Sara Harrison, ELLE, 17 Aug. 2023
As Walmart points out, utilizing the care of doulas, particularly for Black mothers, can lead to better birthing outcomes.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 31 Oct. 2023
Employees on Walmart’s medical plan can receive assistance from a doula with coverage of up to $1,000 per pregnancy.
—Anne D'innocenzio, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
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Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023
Given the statistics, Valentine worked with a birthing doula, a person trained to provide emotional, physical and educational support for an expectant mother or one who has recently given birth.
—Zinhle Essamuah, NBC News, 11 Sep. 2023
The hospital — located in an area in which 40% of the residents live in poverty — welcomes doulas, boasts a diverse obstetrics team, has staff specially trained to support moms in breastfeeding and provides water tubs to patients in labor.
—Bracey Harris, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2023
Massachusetts is part of a wave of states moving to implement coverage of doula services, including New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Aug. 2023
Freeman is now a pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula.
—Sara Harrison, ELLE, 17 Aug. 2023
As Walmart points out, utilizing the care of doulas, particularly for Black mothers, can lead to better birthing outcomes.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 31 Oct. 2023
Employees on Walmart’s medical plan can receive assistance from a doula with coverage of up to $1,000 per pregnancy.
—Anne D'innocenzio, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct. 2023
Carter’s new avocation as an end-of-life doula is an outgrowth of the more than 15 years the Detroit native has spent doing hospice work in her free time.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2023
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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.
Word History
Etymology
Modern Greek, female helper, maidservant, from Greek doulē female slave
First Known Use
1969, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near doula
Cite this Entry
“Doula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doula. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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Medical 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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