doula

noun

dou·​la ˈdü-lə How to pronounce doula (audio)
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

Examples of doula in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
All items are made from scratch under the direction of executive chef Jeremy Armstrong, who co-owns the business with postpartum doula Jessica Wilson. Erin Bunch, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025 Ezra is a doula who can see ghosts, and Jonathan is a widower mourning his late husband, Ben, who Ezra can inexplicably both see and hear, even though that definitely breaks ghost rules. Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025 Now deep into season two, Folb says the show has tapped into a death doula’s expertise for an upcoming storyline. Ingrid Schmidt, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025 Watch him discuss potentially becoming a death doula in the clip above. Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doula

Word History

Etymology

Modern Greek, female helper, maidservant, from Greek doulē female slave

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doula was in 1969

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doula. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Medical Definition

doula

noun
dou·​la ˈdü-lə How to pronounce doula (audio)
: a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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