Doulas are incredible resources for pregnant people and new parents. Whether you’re preparing for your first birth or adding to your growing family, having the right support can make a world of difference. Doulas offer emotional, physical, and informational support throughout pregnancy, labor, and the early postpartum days. And the best part? There’s no one-size-fits-all — you can find the doula who fits your style, needs, and values. We’re so lucky to have so many wonderful doulas here in Rochester,NY to choose from, and any one of these providers will be happy to help you through the process and make sure you find the perfect fit.

What is a Doula?

A doula supports birthing people through pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Unlike a medical provider, a doula doesn’t perform clinical tasks — instead, they focus on your comfort, confidence, and connection. Think of them as a calming, knowledgeable presence by your side: offering encouragement, helping with positions during labor, answering questions, and making sure your voice is heard so you can feel more confident and in control during your birthing experience.

Why Use a Doula?

There are many benefits of utilizing a doula. These include the follow supports based on your preferences:

• Emotional support (such as encouragement and guidance) for birthing parent and partner
• Providing educational resources for questions/concerns any questions you might have
• Labor support (such as suggestions for natural pain relief, massage, positioning, and even partner support)
• Breast/Chestfeeding support.
• Creating a positive birthing environment by setting and maintaining the tone according the birthing person’s wishes

Studies have shown that having a doula present can lead to shorter labors, fewer interventions, and more satisfying birth experiences overall.

Great Doulas In Rochester, NY

If you’re looking for a birth doula in Rochester, NY, you’ve come to the right place. There are many great doulas in the area who can help you have a positive and empowering birth experience. Here are some of my favorite doulas (besides myself 😉 … did you know in addition to being a certified birth photographer, I am also a certified doula?) in the Rochester, NY area you can reach out to as you begin your search:

1. The Doula Duo  |  Morgan Moy and Rebecca Dilley
   Morgan Moy and Rebecca Dilley make up the Doula Duo. They offer a wide range of services including labor and postpartum doula support, lactation support, and breastmilk jewelry. 
   
   
2. Beautiful Birth Choices
   Beautiful Birth Choices serves the Greater Rochester, NY area with a variety of resources designed to help support both pregnant and postpartum parents. Services include: childbirth education, doula support (they have a on-staff doula team), prenatal yoga, and breastfeeding support. 
   
   
3. Wildflower Birth Support  |  Briget Strub
   Wildflower Birth Support is owned by Briget Strub and provides a variety of services to families in Rochester, NY are. In addition to doula services, Briget also offers medical-grade breast pump, infant, and homebirth and pool supply rental.
   
   
4. Artful Birth  |  Kaitlyn Terry-Lammela
   Kaitlyn is a DONA-certified birth doula and NYS M.A. Educator, Art Therapist. She offers holistic birth doula support, pregnancy henna, and art therapy.  
   
   
5. Flower City Doula Services, LLC.  |  Lakeisha Washington
   Lakeisha offers birth doula, placenta, lactation counseling services to expectant families in the Rochester, NY area.
   
   
6. Joyful Birth Childbirth Classes and Doula Services  |  Tara Rice
   Tara is a certified childbirth educator and doula. She offers support in nutrition, labor, breastfeeding, newborn care and more. 
   
   
7. A New Life Acupuncture  |  Patrick Boswell
   Patrick Boswell is a acupuncturist specializing in women’s health, infertility, pregnancy, labor/delivery, and postpartum care. In addition to acupuncture, Pat is also a certified doula. If you have any questions regarding acupuncture during pregnancy and postpartum, be sure to view the Gabbing with Gabi interview I had with Patrick. 
   
   
8. The Roc Doula |  Jocelyn Semple
   Jocelyn is the heart behind The Roc Doula. She offers birth, postpartum, and bereavement doula care with a focus on empowerment, education, and individualized support. She also offers lactation support as well as TENS unit and breast pump rentals.
   
   
9. Royalty Birth Services | Phyllis Sharp
   Phyllis Sharp is the owner and founder of Royalty Birth Services. Their main foucus is to support, educate, and empower families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They offer birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding support, accepts Medicaid, and provides mentorship for new doulas — all with a calm, compassionate approach that centers each family’s unique needs.
   
   
10. Doula Cooperative | Various
    Looking for even more options? The Doula Cooperative is a collective of birth and postpartum doulas serving the Greater Rochester, NY area. Their website is a great starting place if you’d like to browse profiles, compare services, and connect with multiple doulas in one spot.
    

Doulas are an amazing asset for anyone going through pregnancy or early parenthood. They offer support in  many ways, from physical to the emotional. So, if you’re looking for someone to help you through this amazing but sometimes challenging time, definitely consider hiring a doula.

Choosing the Right Doula

Every pregnancy and every birth is different — which means the right doula for someone else might not be the right fit for you. That’s why I always recommend meeting a few doulas before making your decision. Most doulas in Rochester, NY offer a free consultation or discovery call, so you can ask questions, share your vision, and get a feel for how they support their clients. And remember, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Whether you choose someone from this list or reach out to me directly, any one of us are always happy to help you find the perfect fit for your family.

P.S. Download my pregnancy and parenting resource guide for a list of doulas, lactation consultants, sleep experts and other useful pregnancy/parenting resources in the Rochester, NY area.