doula

noun

dou·​la ˈdü-lə 

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

Many readers may not be aware of the services that end-of-life doulas can provide. —R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026

Death doulas swear by the Sparrow Funeral Home in Greenpoint. —The Editors, Curbed, 16 Apr. 2026

If Kidman and Zhao are deep in the trenches of their death-doula training, what other highly successful and/or award-winning actors and directors might excel at this job? —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026

The organization says death doulas offer psychosocial, emotional, spiritual and practical care. —Francie Ebert, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1969, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for doula

• beulah
• chula
• gula
• hula
• kula
• ula
• betula
• blastula
• fistula
• radula
• regula
• scrofula

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