What is a full spectrum doula?
Many people are familiar with the term “doula,” and they often associate doulas with birth and postpartum. But, doulas can do more than just that! Full spectrum doulas support people through the entire spectrum of reproduction, including fertility, pregnancy, loss, abortion, birth, and postpartum.
First of all, what is a doula?! Doulas are non-medically trained community care workers who provide informational, emotional, and physical support to their clients. Often, we think of doulas supporting clients through labour and birth and through the initial postpartum period. A full spectrum doula does this and supports people throughout the full spectrum of reproductive experience. Full spectrum doulas provide emotional, physical, and information support folks who are trying to conceive, pregnant, or postpartum, no matter what the outcome.They also provide this support to those who are creating their families through surrogacy or adoption. As with any type of doula, how an individual full spectrum doula practices might be different, but the fact that their support covers more than just birth doula support and/or postpartum doula support remains the same.
Full spectrum doulas are aware of the intersections of identity that any one person holds, including, but not limited to, gender, race, lived experience, family structure, etc. Full spectrum doulas are also prepared to support their clients if circumstances change part way through a pregnancy, as we are ready to support clients through loss and abortion, as well as a full-term birth.
Okay, but what does this full spectrum support look like in practice?
Loss Support: Full spectrum doulas provide support for miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion. Abortion support is also its own category below, as not everyone experiences their abortion as a loss. Doula support through pregnancy loss might look similar to birth support with in-person support and hands-on comfort measures, or it may be carried out solely via text message to answer questions and provide emotional support. Often, it looks like something in the middle. I always tailor my doula support towards my client and what they need in that moment.
Abortion Support : Abortion doula support can occur in-person, such as accompaniment to a clinic, virtually for folks who prefer this or who are accessing remote services, or an abortion doula might provide informational and logistical support leading up to the abortion and then check-ins after. Like all other elements of full spectrum doula support, abortion support may look vastly different from one client to the next. Full spectrum doulas are adaptable and malleable, and will meet their clients where they are at.
Birth Support : Doula support for birth usually begins in pregnancy, where the doula and client will have two or more meetings to get to know one another, discuss the pregnant person’s birth preferences, discuss how advocacy can and will be used in the birth space, teach comfort measures, and more. Included in birth doula support is continuous phone, email, and text message support for the pregnant person and their partner(s) to answer any questions that might come up during pregnancy, for the doula to provide affirmation and reassurance, and to maintain the rapport established during the prenatal meetings. Then, of course, the doula will attend the birth (either in person or virtually, depending on preferences and circumstance) and provide physical, emotional, and informational support throughout the labour and birth experience. The doula’s priorities during the birth are ensuring that the labouring person feels safe, supported, and heard throughout the process.
Postpartum Support: Postpartum doula support is usually initiated shortly after the new baby arrives, but can also be incredibly beneficial for parents of slightly older babies, too! Postpartum doulas are there to care for and support the new parents. We support parents in the big transition to parenthood, whether it is baby number one, number six, or the parents are experiencing postpartum without a baby. Postpartum support includes practical care like cooking and light housekeeping, looking after the baby while parents take care of themselves, and answering questions about healing, baby care, feeding, and more. To read all about why you should consider hiring a postpartum doula, visit this post!
I cannot speak for all full spectrum doulas, but I can provide a glimpse into what my full spectrum doula practice looks like here in Montreal. I am currently offering abortion support, loss support, birth support and postpartum support. I personally adore working with clients for an extended period of time, through their own full spectrum experience. For example, if a client is intending on having a baby, I love when we get the chance to start working together early in pregnancy and continue to work together throughout their postpartum. As mentioned above, due my ability to support folks through loss and abortion as well, I am prepared to support clients no matter the outcome of their pregnancy.
If you are interested in finding out more about full spectrum doulas, The Radical Doula Guide, written by Miriam Zoila Pérez, is an excellent starting place.
To find out more about doulas (specifically birth doulas) in general and why evidence shows it is beneficial to hire a doula, visit Evidence Based Birth.
The Planted Doula, a.k.a. Lara Esrey, is a full spectrum doula, childbirth and postpartum educator, integrative lactation and infant feeding specialist, and community herbalist located in Hamilton, ON, offering services both virtually and in person. They support all families, regardless of where they are at in their reproductive journey. Lara is a queer birthworker, and especially passionate about supporting queer and LGBTQ families. You can find out more about Lara’s doula support services here.