Midwives + doulas: what’s the difference?

One of the most common questions I get asked when I tell people I’m a doula is, “so…is that like a midwife?” It’s a common confusion. For most people, both midwives and doulas fall somewhere in the realm of “something that has to do with birth? And maybe just unmedicated births? Kinda crunchy?” So, read on to learn about the differences between doulas vs midwives!

What is a midwife?

A midwife is a medical provider whose main focus during birth is the safety + health of the birthing person and the baby. A midwife can be hired instead of an OB/GYN and be the sole medical provider at your birth. Midwives are often hired by hospitals, and many midwives have private practices where they work at a birth center or support home births. Midwives are experts in managing the complexities of birth.

In Utah you can choose between:

• A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) for a hospital, birth center or sometimes home birth
• A Licensed Direct-Entry Midwife (LDEM), Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), or Direct-Entry Midwife (DEM) for a home birth

Learn more about your options for hiring a midwife in Salt Lake City here.

What is a doula?

A doula is a non-medical support person. They are hired in addition to your medical provider (either a midwife or OB/GYN). A doula’s main focus during birth is the physical comfort + emotional well-being of the birthing person and partner(s). Doulas are experts in providing education, advocacy, + physical support techniques during birth.

Can someone hire both a midwife and a doula? 

Absolutely! As you can see, while midwives and doulas both fall under the umbrella of “birth professionals,” they provide very different and complementary services to a birthing person and family.

We often work with Salt Lake City area families who choose to hire both a midwife and a doula, whether they are birthing in the hospital, at home, or in a birth center.

We hope this post helped explain the differences between midwives and doulas. If you’re ready to hire a doula for your Salt Lake City area birth, get in touch!

Featured photo by La Luna Birth.