The History of Doulas

For centuries, women have supported each other during childbirth, providing emotional, physical, and informational care—a role that today we recognize as a doula. But how did doulas transition from being community birth attendantsto recognized professionals in the U.S. healthcare system?

In this post, we’ll explore the history of doulas, how they became mainstream in the United States, and the role they play in modern maternal care.

🌍 Ancient Origins: Birth Support Throughout History

Long before the term "doula" was used, women assisted each other during childbirth in nearly every culture. In ancient Greece, the word "doula" (meaning "female servant") referred to women who helped care for others. Across Indigenous, African, and Asian cultures, experienced birth attendants provided continuous labor support, offering comfort measures, reassurance, and guidance to birthing mothers.

However, as medicalized birth became the norm in the 20th century, the traditional practice of community birth support declined—until doulas re-emerged as a professional role in the 1970s.

🩺 The 20th Century: The Shift to Hospital Births

By the early 1900s, childbirth in the U.S. became increasingly hospitalized, moving away from midwifery and home births. Doctors and nurses replaced traditional birth attendants, and medical interventions like twilight sleep, forceps delivery, and routine C-sections became common.

By the 1950s-60s, nearly all births took place in hospitals, often in a highly medicalized, impersonal environment, where mothers had little control over their birthing experiences.

While these advances reduced maternal and infant mortality rates, they also led to a lack of emotional and continuous support during labor—something many women began to seek again in the 1970s natural birth movement.

🌱 1970s-1980s: The Birth of the Modern Doula Movement

As part of the natural childbirth movement, women started advocating for less medical intervention and a return to personalized birth support. Influenced by pioneers like Ina May Gaskin, midwifery and labor coaching began to gain traction again.

A major turning point came when Dr. Marshall Klaus and Dr. John Kennell, two pediatricians, studied the effects of continuous labor support. Their research, published in the 1980s, found that having a trained support person (a doula!) during labor led to:

✔️ Shorter labor times
✔️ Fewer C-sections and medical interventions
✔️ Lower rates of epidural use
✔️ Improved mother-baby bonding and breastfeeding success

This research validated what women had known for centuries—continuous support in labor matters.

🎓 1990s: The Professionalization of Doulas

As research on doulas grew, formal training and certification programs were established to ensure high standards of care.

📍 1992 – The organization DONA International (formerly Doulas of North America) was founded, offering structured training and certification for birth and postpartum doulas.

📍 1990s Growth – More organizations, such as CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association) and ICEA (International Childbirth Education Association), began training doulas to meet the increasing demand.

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, doulas became recognized professionals, though they remained largely outside the traditional medical system.

🚀 2000s-Present: Doulas Enter the Mainstream

In the last two decades, doula care has grown exponentially as more families recognize the benefits of personalized birth and postpartum support.

🔹 Increasing Hospital Acceptance – Many hospitals now allow doulas in delivery rooms and even offer hospital-based doula programs.
🔹 Expanding Research & Awareness – More studies confirm that doulas reduce birth disparities, especially for Black and underserved mothers.
🔹 Medicaid Coverage for Doulas – Several states now cover doula services under Medicaid, making birth support more accessible to all families.

Today, Birth and Postpartum doulas are recognized as key players in maternal care, helping to bridge the gap between medical providers and emotional birth support.

🔮 The Future of Doulas in the U.S.

Doulas are no longer just a "luxury" service—they are becoming an essential part of birth and postpartum care. As Medicaid coverage expands, hospitals integrate doulas, and more research supports their benefits, we can expect:

✔️ Greater accessibility to doulas for families of all backgrounds
✔️ Stronger advocacy for maternal health and birth equity
✔️ More career opportunities for doulas in hospitals, birth centers, and telehealth services

At Newmom.me, we are proud to be part of this movement—training, supporting, and connecting doulas to help make quality maternal care available to all.

💡 Final Thoughts

From ancient birth attendants to modern certified doulas, the role of birth support has stood the test of time. Today, doulas are changing birth experiences, improving maternal outcomes, and making birth and postpartum care more compassionate and accessible.

👶 Are you interested in becoming a doula? Learn more about our training programs and start making a difference today!

💬 Are you a doula? What has your experience been like? Share in the comments!

📢 Help spread awareness—share this post with someone who needs to know about doulas!

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