Obstetricians, Midwives and Doulas
With the 32BJ Maternity Program, you can choose to have an obstetrician (OBGYN), a midwife, and where available, the support of a doula as part of your birth support team. Like an OBGYN, a midwife can lead your care team and deliver your baby. A doula is there to provide emotional support, advocate for you and help you make important decisions.
What’s an OBGYN?
An OBGYN, or obstetrician-gynecologist, is a medical doctor who specializes in women’s reproductive health. An OBGYN is trained to deliver care for women during their pregnancy, delivery, and following the birth of their baby. They are trained to handle high-risk or complex pregnancies.
What's a midwife?
A midwife is a highly-educated medical professional licensed to care for women in hospitals, health clinics or their homes.
Midwives focus on supporting natural birth. They monitor you and your baby during labor, administer pain medications and perform other services related to birth. They can deliver babies. They are trained to detect complications and to handle birth emergencies, and they will consult with a doctor when needed.
Midwives also provide prenatal care, routine gynecological exams, birth control, and other family planning options.
What's a doula
The job of a doula is to provide nonmedical support throughout your pregnancy, during labor, and after delivery. They are there for emotional and physical support, and can play different roles based on your specific needs. Some hospitals in the 32BJ Maternity Program may be able to provide a doula to you at no cost. See Maternity Program Hospitals for the doula services available at specific hospitals.
