As part of Priority Partners’ pregnancy support programs, members who are pregnant now have the option to use a doula, or birth worker, for guidance through pregnancy to childbirth and after. What is a doula? A doula is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to birthing parents before and after birth and during labor. Doulas provide individualized care for birthing parents and in-person support sensitive to racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
A doula will attend the birth and discuss with birthing parents issues such as:
- Common birth procedures, birth and labor anatomy and comfort during labor and birth
- Mental health, self-care and self-advocacy during exams and at labor and delivery
- Breastfeeding benefits and techniques and after birth support for parents and baby
Doula services are free for eligible Medicaid members. To be eligible for doula services, you must:
- Be a Maryland Medicaid member
- Be pregnant or have been pregnant within the last 180 days
Talk to your health care provider about being referred to the Doula Program if you are interested in using a doula for birth support.
