A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to pregnant people during and just after birth. Birthing people who have doulas have less medical interventions, better breastfeeding outcomes, and are overall more satisfied with their birth experience  (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/). Doulas provide support in many ways; physically, with massage, bodywork, and other hands on support; emotionally, as a continuous, reassuring, and encouraging presence, and informationally, by providing knowledge before and during labor to help birthing people make informed decisions about their care.