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Doula care

At Kaiser Permanente, you’re welcome to have a doula on your support team during and after pregnancy and birth. A doula can help you stay informed, prepare for birth, manage labor pain, and recover after pregnancy.

What is a doula?

A doula is a trained, nonmedical professional. They provide companionship and give physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. They focus on your well-being, help you make informed decisions, and offer consistent care through all stages of pregnancy and birth, including in cases of stillbirth or miscarriage.

How a doula can support you

A doula can make pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period better for you and your family. Doulas help you understand your care options and decide on your preferences. They can also help you create a birth preferences plan, which you’ll review with your care team. They won’t make clinical decisions for you, but they’ll support you in communicating with your care team.

Doulas create a calming, supportive environment to help labor progress. People who give birth in this way tend to have shorter labors and fewer cesarean deliveries, and they’re less likely to ask for pain-relief medication.*

Doulas can offer various types of support, including:

Preparation — Providing information on birth options and procedures, so you can make informed choices about your care
Birth preferences — Helping you develop a plan you’ll share with your care team that expresses your wishes and goals for your birth experience, including pain management and newborn feeding
Labor coaching — Offering nonmedical techniques (such as touch, positioning, and breathing exercises) to help you relax, cope with pain, and progress through labor
Additional lactation support — Problem-solving and encouragement to help you feed your baby
Stillbirth or miscarriage — Losing a baby can be an overwhelming experience, but a doula can help support you as you cope with your loss

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Doula services at Kaiser Permanente

We cover doula care for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Your doula can help you prepare for birth, support you throughout your labor, and help you recover at home.

Our doula coverage includes:

11 visits per pregnancy (prenatal and postpartum) within a 12-month period — the visits can be any combination of prenatal, postpartum, or support if the pregnancy ends in stillbirth or miscarriage
Support during labor and birth in a hospital
Support for pregnancy that ends in stillbirth or miscarriage

Find out if your plan covers doula services

Doula services are covered at no extra cost for participating Colorado large group or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) members.

See your Evidence of Coverage for details about your plan’s coverage. If you have questions about the doula benefit, call Member Services at 1-800-632-9700 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

What to look for in a doula

It’s important to choose a doula you feel comfortable with. Make sure they work near your home and the hospital where you plan to deliver. They should also be available on your estimated due date.

They should have training and experience in:

Prenatal support
Anatomy of pregnancy and birth
Nonmedical comfort measures and labor support techniques
Lactation support
Adult/infant cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rules

How to find a doula

Selecting a doula is an important and personal decision. Here are some steps to help you find the right professional to support your birth experience

Research. Start by looking for doulas in your area. Use online directories, local doula agencies, or recommendations from friends or health care professionals.
Make sure they’re eligible. Choose a doula that meets state qualification requirements and has a valid National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Tax Identification Number (TIN). They’ll need an NPI to file a claim with Kaiser Permanente. Doulas for CHP+ members will need to be actively enrolled with Health First Colorado.
Interview doulas. Set up interviews with a few candidates. Ask about their experience, philosophy, and approach to birth.
Check qualifications and reviews. Look at profiles and certifications and read reviews from other families. Many candidates will have completed a doula training program.
Understand your coverage. Learn which doula services are covered and which services aren’t covered.
To learn more about doula coverage, call Member Services at 1-800-632-9700 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Check availability. Confirm the candidate is available around your due date.
Make your decision. Choose the doula who best fits your needs.

Common questions

The following services aren’t covered under your doula benefit. If you get these services from a doula, you’ll need to pay for them.

Clinical or medical services (like taking blood pressure or temperature, fetal heart tone checks, vaginal exams, or postpartum clinical care)
Help with activities of daily living (like shopping or laundry)
Alternative or complementary services (like aromatherapy, birth education, or massage therapy)
Yoga
Birthing ceremonies (like sealing or closing the bones)
Over-the-counter supplies or drugs
Home birth
Belly binding (traditional or ceremonial)
Massage (maternal or infant)
Photography
Placenta encapsulation
Vaginal steams
Group classes on baby wearing
Support during an abortion (medication or procedure)

If your plan covers doula services, you’ll be responsible for your plan-specific prenatal copay, coinsurance, or deductible for each of the 11 visits you receive during or after pregnancy. You’ll also be responsible for your plan-specific hospital copay, coinsurance, or deductible for doula services provided during labor and birth. You’ll pay any needed copay, coinsurance, or deductible to the doula.

Make sure the doula you choose is eligible. You may select any doula that meets state requirements and has a valid National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Tax Identification Number (TIN). They’ll need an NPI to file a claim with Kaiser Permanente. Doulas for CHP+ members will need to be actively enrolled with Health First Colorado.

Doulas can submit claims to Kaiser Permanente for payment through our Claims Community Portal.

You can get services from your doula virtually or in person. In-person visits can take place at any location, including in your home, in the doula’s office, or at any in-network medical facility. During labor and birth, the doula should support you in person.

No. Doula services are available to any eligible member who is pregnant or has been pregnant within the last 12 months without a referral.

If you plan to have a doula support you during labor and birth, let your care team know ahead of time and mention your doula in your birth preferences.