The Denver Health Doula Program’s mission is to provide devoted, equitable doula support during labor and birth for people and families at Denver Health. Illness from birthing in the U.S. is higher than in most developed countries despite spending more on health care. Additionally, the risk of death due to pregnancy and birth is 3-4 times higher for black or indigenous birthers, and rates of newborn illness and death are at least twice as high for babies of color.
The pregnancy and birth health crisis in the United States is tragic, and advocating for and supporting families during this time will improve the long-term health of individuals, families, and communities.
Birthing support from doulas has been linked to decreased interventions, lower rates of cesareans, and less postpartum depression. Doulas have also been linked to increased vaginal deliveries, breastfeeding rates, and increased satisfaction with the birth experience. In addition to better outcomes, improved birth experiences have strong ties to parenting confidence and improved parent/child connection.
By advocating for and supporting patients at such a unique and vulnerable time, we are supporting the health of Colorado communities.
If you would like doula support, please tell your doctor, midwife or nurse when you come in to have your baby, or email dhdoula@dhha.org. Although we cannot guarantee one will be available, we will do our best to find you a doula!
Learn more about the evidence for doula support
History of the Denver Health Doula Program
The Denver Health Doula Program was founded in January 2016 as a volunteer program and has been serving patients at Denver Health since September 2016. In 2017, the Denver Health Doula Program began recruiting, training, and certifying community members as birth doulas. Since that time, the program has trained over 150 doulas.
In 2024, Colorado passed legislation reimburse for doula services, so during this year the program transitioned from a volunteer-based program to an employed service at Denver Health. To learn more about job openings, please visit our Careers page.