For many parents, birth doulas are beacons of calming encouragement who enhance the labor, delivery and postpartum experience in incomparable ways. An ancient Greek word for female servant, "doula" today refers to a trained helper who aids laboring mothers by providing expertise and emotional support and advocating for their birth needs and desires. Doulas are increasingly prevalent in U.S. birth culture, spawning praise-filled blog posts and studies about their positive impact on pregnancy and childbirth. In honor of World Doula Week, here are 58 incredible photos of doulas in action in the U.S. and beyond, along with captions from the photographers who witnessed the magic. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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