When To Hire A Doula
Many families know they want a doula.
The question is often:
When should I hire a doula?
Technically, you can hire a doula at any point in pregnancy.
But the earlier you hire one, the more support you’ll receive along the way.
The Best Time to Hire a Doula Is During the Second Trimester
For most families, somewhere between 12 and 24 weeks is ideal.
At this stage:
You’re beginning to think seriously about birth.
You have time to build a relationship.
You can fully utilize prenatal support.
Your doula still has availability.
Many doulas book months in advance.
Waiting until the last minute may limit your options.
A Doula Supports More Than Birth Day
Many people assume a doula is only present during labor.
In reality, much of the value happens beforehand.
A doula can help you:
Understand your options
Process fears
Create birth preferences
Prepare your partner
Learn comfort measures
Navigate decisions
Prepare for postpartum
The Earlier We Start, the More We Can Prepare
Birth preparation isn’t about creating a perfect birth.
It’s about building confidence, flexibility, and trust.
When we begin months before labor, we have time to:
Prepare physically
Prepare emotionally
Prepare mentally
Prepare relationally
Do Second-Time Parents Need a Doula?
Absolutely.
Many second-time families hire a doula specifically because of their previous experience.
Some want:
VBAC support
More confidence
Better communication
Different outcomes
Help processing a prior birth
The Bottom Line
The best time to hire a doula is before you think you need one.
The support, education, and preparation you receive throughout pregnancy are often just as valuable as the support you receive during labor itself.
How To Deeply Prepare For Your Pregnancy, Birth & Postpartum
One of the biggest misconceptions about childbirth education is that it’s only about coping with contractions.
In reality, preparation starts long before labor begins.
You could spend months reading pregnancy books, listening to birth podcasts, searching Reddit, and piecing together advice from dozens of different sources.
Or you could have one thoughtfully curated resource that brings it all together. That's why I created this resource library and companion workbook.
It brings together the most valuable lessons from evidence-based research, trusted books, professional trainings, clinical experience, and holistic traditions into one thoughtfully curated, easy-to-follow guide.
Reading information is one thing. Applying it to your own pregnancy, birth, and family is another. That's why every roadmap includes a thoughtfully designed companion workbook to help you turn knowledge into action. As you move through each chapter, you'll find guided exercises, reflection prompts, planning worksheets, checklists, and space to organize your thoughts, questions, and preferences.
From understanding your nervous system and navigating medical decisions to preparing your relationship, protecting your postpartum recovery, and understanding your newborn, this is the resource I wish every family had before welcoming a baby.
Less searching. Less second-guessing. More confidence in the journey ahead.
[Discover the Book & Workbook →]
About Ash Novickas
Ash Novickas is a Los Angeles based birth and postpartum doula, lactation specialist, newborn care specialist and educator. Through her practice, Earthside Holistic L.A.,She offers Ayurvedic and holistic maternal recovery and newborn care postpartum, and supports families across Los Angeles with comprehensive birth preparation, evidence-based education and trauma-informed birth support. Ash’s work extends beyond physical support to include emotional and identity transition into motherhood. She guides families through Matrescence- the profound psychological and relational transformation of becoming a mother- helping clients feel grounded, supported and deeply met through every stage of pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.
