Portland Doulas
Wildwood Birth Doula in Portland, OR
Birth is wild. You can do this. We’ve got your back.
It’s 3:00 am and you’re awake.
Awake because you’re pregnant and your baby is kicking, their elbows making strange lines across your belly.
Your mind races with questions or worry or wonder, and about all that it means to be a parent.
And then a thought barges in and demands your attention: Can I do this?
We get it. And we promise: Yes, you can.
We’re Wildwood Birth
Your Portland Birth Doula Team
Everyone needs a little help sometimes. Especially when undergoing the most impactful, profound transformation there is in life - becoming a parent.
At Wildwood Birth, your Portland doula will offer you an empathetic, non-judgmental, unconditional support system throughout pregnancy, birth, and the fourth trimester.
We believe that how birth happens, matters. As your Portland doulas, we will help you to make a plan, and to plan for the unexpected.
We promise to ensure, to the best of our abilities, that you have a good experience of giving birth, and that from day one, you feel empowered to step into parenthood smoothly and assuredly, with a strong community surrounding and supporting you.
We believe that every birthing person deserves a doula who:
Champions your empowerment with evidence-based information to help you make the best decisions for you and your baby.
Knows how to support you through the challenges and celebrates with you the many joys.
Listens to you, trusts you, trusts your body, your baby, and your intuition.
Our birth doula team works… as a team!
Some of our doulas work in a solo practice, and some of us work in a partnership model (Collective Care). Either way, our professional, certified birth doula team works as a team to support you. We share knowledge, information, and resources with each other to ensure that each family’s unique needs are best attended to. We also are each other’s built-in backup, so in the uncommon case that your doula is attending another birth, a Wildwood doula would step in to support you until your primary doula becomes available to join you.
Our Birth Doula Packages
We offer 10% off creative services like birth photography and birth videography when you bundle them with a birth doula package. We are also happy to offer payment plans.
We are currently offering two birth doula packages:
The birth doula support package includes prenatal preparation meetings, labor support, and a postpartum support meeting.
We also offer a birth doula support package with a Childbirth Education add-on, which allows time to cover a full childbirth ed curriculum with your doula!
Please read below for more information.
Portland Birth Doula Support
At least four hours of prenatal appointments
At least two hours of postpartum appointments
On-call support from 38 weeks through 6 weeks postpartum
Early labor support at home, and help deciding when to go to the hospital or birth center
Labor support at home, the hospital, or birth center throughout labor and usually about two hours postpartum
*Rates vary between $2,000-$3,000, depending on a doula’s experience.
Childbirth Classes, Breastfeeding Classes & Newborn Care Classes
Many of the doulas on our team are also certified Childbirth Educators, meaning you can opt to take a class directly with your doula, instead of taking a class through the hospital. We currently have three options for Childbirth Education:
Classes with your doula: add 4 hours of in-person, individualized sessions with your doula, who will craft a childbirth education curriculum specifically for you (and your birth support person). Investment = $400
A la carte: If you decide not to hire a doula, you can still have in-person, individualized sessions. 8 hours of in-home sessions = $500
Online, on-demand: Prefer to learn on your own schedule, in the comfort of your sweatpants? We’ve got you covered! Our online course includes 8+ hours of informational videos, 3 hours of movement (yoga, breath work), and a dozen birth story interviews from people who have been through it! Online course = $129-$179
Topics covered: Childbirth Classes, Breastfeeding, Newborn Care Classes, and Sleep Training Baby.
Why is our birth doula price a range?
Our birth doulas each have their own rate based on their level of experience. We have created additional resource to answer the most common questions about doula pricing. Please get in touch if you have any other questions about our birth doula pricing.
What happens at prenatal & postpartum doula consultations?
Each prenatal and postpartum appointment included in our Birth Doula Support package is a private meeting between you and your doula where you can ask any questions you have about childbirth and newborn care.
Prenatal Appointments
Four hours of prenatal appointments are included with our birth doula support package. These prenatal consultations will cover (but are not limited to):
physiology of birth
hospital procedures
developing your birth plan, or birth preferences
comfort measures
medications
postpartum plan
preparing for feeding
Postpartum Appointments
Two hours of postpartum appointments are included with our birth doula support package. These postpartum doula Portland consultations will cover (but are not limited to):
birth processing
newborn care
breastfeeding
sleep training
all of your postpartum questions
Schedule your free birth doula consultation today.
We look forward to connecting with you and learning how we can best support you during this wild and exciting time.
“Wherever you are in your journey, we’ll meet you there, and walk with you the rest of the way.”
PDX Doula Support: What does a doula do?
Doulas provide physical support
Touch — massage, acupressure, or with a rebozo
Hydrotherapy — warm shower or birth pool
Applying heat or cold for desired temperature
Creating a calm environment through music (or silence), adjusting lighting, and minimizing outside noise or talking
Assisting with walking, swaying, changing position
Offering water, ice, food, other comfort items
Doulas provide emotional support
Continuous presence throughout labor
Verbal encouragement, praise and reassurance (“normalizing” the experience)
Mirroring the birthing person’s experience and matching the feeling and tone
Remaining calm and steady, showing a caring attitude
Empathizing with the birthing person, supporting what they want
Talking through fears and self-doubt with birthing person and their partner
Re-framing circumstances to help birthing person view themselves and their situation more positively
Processing the birth story postpartum - empathizing and clarifying when appropriate
Doulas provide informational support
Multiple, thorough prenatal meetings to discuss all aspects of childbirth
Help with creating a birth preferences document to provide to care providers
Providing resources and evidence-based information for making decisions throughout pregnancy and childbirth
Guiding birthing person and their partner through labor with relaxation, breathing, movement and positioning techniques
Helping explain medical procedures before or as they occur, facilitating communication with care providers
Answer your questions about birth plans, home births and water births
Doulas provide advocacy support
Asking the birthing person what they want, and unconditionally supporting their decision
Encouraging birthing person and their partner to ask questions, verbalize their preferences, and creating space to make unpressured decisions
Amplifying the birthing person’s voice if she is being dismissed, ignored, or not heard by the care providers “Excuse me - I believe she is trying to say something, I’m not sure if you heard her…”
“...supporting the birthing person in their right to make decisions about their own body and baby.” - www.evidencebasedbirth.com
“Birth is an opportunity to transcend. To rise above what we are accustomed to, reach deeper inside ourselves than we are familiar with, and to see not only what we are truly made of, but the strength we can access in and through birth.”
The benefits of Portland doula support
Evidence-based improvements in birth outcomes:
39% decrease in unplanned Cesarean birth
15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief
Shorter labors by 41 minutes on average
38% decrease in the baby’s having a low five minute Apgar score
31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience
Frequently Asked Questions: Birth Doula Support in Portland, Oregon
1. What is a birth doula?
A doula is a trained perinatal professional who provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum. At Wildwood Birth Collective, our Portland doulas offer compassionate, personalized care to ensure you feel empowered, informed, and supported throughout your birth journey. All of our doulas are certified and have taken multiple continuing education trainings to offer comprehensive support on the journey to meeting your baby.
2. What does a birth doula do during labor?
During labor, a birth doula offers comfort measures like massage, breathing techniques, coping mechanisms, and position changes, along with emotional reassurance and advocacy for your birth preferences. Although we have influence over the course of labor, no one can predict or control how each one will unfold, so we show up for what arises, and meet our clients where they are in order to best support them. Wildwood’s Portland doulas work alongside your medical team to help create a calm, supportive environment that best aligns with your vision for birth.
3. How can a doula support my partner?
Although our primary focus is on the birthing parent, a birth doula also provides guidance and support to partners, helping them feel confident and involved where they want to be in the birth process. We make sure that everyone in the room is supported physically (providing comfort, drinking water, having a snack, taking a rest), emotionally (normalizing the labor process, providing assurance and encouragement), and informationally (ensuring everyone is heard, seen, and understood as important decisions are made). We are the experts in birth, and your partner is the expert in knowing you, and together we collaborate to bring your baby earthside. Our Portland doula services are designed to nurture the entire family, ensuring everyone feels connected and prepared during labor.
4. What’s the difference between a midwife and a doula?
A midwife is a medically trained professional focused on the health and safety of both the birthing person and the baby. A doula, on the other hand, provides non-medical support, filling in the gaps to provide truly holistic care – offering emotional, physical, and informational guidance. Your Portland doula complements the care provided by your midwife or healthcare team, helping to create a positive birth experience.
5. Do doulas work in hospitals, birth centers, or at home births?
Yes to all of the above! Whether you’re planning a hospital birth, birth center experience, or home birth, our Portland doulas provide personalized support in any setting. We help you navigate the birth environment (even if where you actually give birth is not where you planned to) and ensure your preferences are honored.
6. When should I hire a doula in Portland?
You can hire a Portland doula at any time during your pregnancy. Many families reach out in the second or third trimester, but some prefer earlier prenatal support. Contacting us early allows us to build a relationship and offer guidance tailored to your unique needs.
7. Can a doula help with birth trauma prevention?
Yes! Unfortunately, up to 40% of birthing people describe their birth experience as traumatic. Doulas work on the frontline to actively decrease those statistics. Studies show that (among many other benefits), people who have a doula report their birth experience as traumatic 31% less than those who do not. Our Portland doulas are trained in trauma-informed care, ensuring your emotional and psychological well-being are prioritized throughout your experience. We work to create a safe, respectful, and empowering birth environment, reducing the likelihood of birth trauma.
8. Are doulas covered by insurance in Portland, Oregon?
Some insurance providers in Portland offer partial or full coverage for doula services. The best way to know for sure is to call your insurance company and see what your plan covers. By law, you can use your FSA/HSA account to pay for services. We happily provide a superbill with the breakdown of services and pricing so you can submit it to your insurance company for reimbursement. Also, check with your employer, because it is not uncommon for employee benefit packages to include doula support reimbursement.
9. How do I choose the right Portland doula for me?
Choosing a doula is a highly personal decision, and we encourage you to meet with a few to find the best fit for your family. At Wildwood Birth, we offer a free consultation with our Portland doulas so you can get to know us and see who aligns with your style, personality, and vision for your birth experience.
10. How do I get started with a doula in Portland?
It’s easy to get started! Contact us through our website to schedule a free consultation with our matchmaker and/or one or several of our Portland doulas. We’ll discuss your needs, answer your questions, and start planning how we can best support you during this profound time.
We’re here to support you every step of the way, so please reach out with any additional questions about our doula services in Portland, Oregon!