

9 Types Of Doulas You Didn't Know You Needed
By no means are doulas new, but the way we’ve come to view them is for sure evolving on the regular. And what I mean to say is that for so long we’ve viewed them through this narrow scope as birth workers only. However, as the world progresses there has become an expansion in the types of doulas readily available to serve the community.
Typically, doulas are defined as “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to their client before, during, and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.” This is according to DONA International or Doulas of North America. Allow me to also point out that while doulas can also double as health professionals, the role of a doula alone is not that of a health professional.
However, similar professionals are using the label doula to provide the “healthiest, most satisfying” experience in various life events or activities that deserve minimal trauma and maximum joy (and a reframe that allows for it in even the bleakest circumstances).
In this day and age, there are at least 9 different types of doulas you can seek out and while many of them are in regards to bearing children, you might be surprised to find what the other types of doulas’ work consist of.
1. Labor and Birth Doula
The type of doula we most commonly recognize is a labor and birth doula. They are the OG doula in the game and their work aligns most with the aforementioned definition – their specialty lies in providing prenatal, labor, and delivery care which includes advocating for patients. This makes them especially appealing to Black women who have an alarmingly high maternal mortality rate.
Doulas are a reminder that advocacy comes in so many forms including education, which is part of the prenatal doula service offered. They provide the tools and guidance sometimes necessary to create a birth plan; show you positions that most OBs won’t bother mentioning that help make all stages of labor easier; and so much more.
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2. Sensuality/Sexuality Doula
While the concept is rather new and seems to be carried by self-proclaimed sensualist and sexuality doula Ev’Yan Whitney, I believe this is one of the most necessary types of soul experiences. On their website, Ev’Yan states that their duties include the following: “[To] educate, facilitate, support, guide, and hold space for folks who are ready to step out of shame, confusion, and fear within their sexuality and want to come into authentic expression of their sexual, sensual selves—whatever that looks like for them.”
For me, a sexuality expert could potentially be helpful to people wanting to be pregnant because the way we view sex and our bodies during and after pregnancy can be largely associated with the shame we’ve been taught—this is why I stand by it being one of the most imperative, overarching categories of service offered by a doula.
3. Death Doula
4. Antepartum Doula
While birth doulas come in during the labor and postpartum doulas come in afterward, antepartum doulas come in at any point for moms-to-be who need mental health support. Because yes, pregnancy blues is a thing, and no, not everyone enjoys the transition that is pregnancy. They also help out with moms who have medical restrictions, such as bed rest for those who simply need help due to having multiple children.
5. Postpartum Doula
Postpartum doulas sweep in after you’ve delivered your baby and support you in the 4th trimester, where both you and the baby are finding a new identity—yours more intertwined with your little bundle of joy. These doulas will come over to the house and hold the baby while you shower, clean the house, or take a nap.
Some might even bring you meals to be sure you’re eating, which is just one way that they provide breastfeeding support. This is a service they offer regardless of whether you have a spouse or not, whether you have multiple children or not.
6. Abortion Doula
Abortion doulas pick up the slack and possibly are even more helpful than abortion clinic counselors who are required to read a state-mandated checklist, legally. They answer questions (often debunking bullshit myths) before and after abortion, and help arrange childcare and nutritious meals for their clients seeking abortion care.
They also offer calming touch and massage with their clients' consent to minimize pain, discomfort, or anxiety. I do, however, wonder how the scope of their role will shift in a post-Roe society.
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7. Fertility Doula
More and more people trying to get pregnant are seeking fertility treatments. However, even if you have never sought out fertility treatment, one thing the mainstream dialogue around the topic has taught us is that it’s not an easy process. With that in mind, fertility doulas offer support to clients individually and with their families. Similar to every other type of doula, they provide resources, knowledge, and in some cases physical support.
8. Indigenous Doula
This is another all-encompassing type of doula here! An indigenous doula is here to accomplish advocacy that ensures indigenous people's cultural practices are carried out in every trimester of childbearing, including the fourth. They also make sure they have a positive overall experience, given the fact that so many minority pregnant people do not have the most positive birthing experiences.
9. Transition Doula
“Transition” doula is a very vague term, meaning it can be tricky figuring out just what it means. With a quick Google search, you might find death doulas also referring to themselves as transition doulas and even birth doulas who offer all the mommy services, from labor to postpartum (because it’s…well…transitional). But it can best be understood as a gender doula, or a doula who provides companionship and such to the growing spectrum (queer, non-binary, trans, etc.). They are mainly there to support various transitions including but not limited to medical, non-surgical, and herbal.
Doulas are there to provide comfort and support during major life events. In a world of capitalism, they are as person-centered as possible with goals that prioritize helping underserved communities. In fact, during my pregnancy I’ve had the help of three doulas splitting the work of one—they’ve provided me with resources, meals when I couldn’t find it in me to cook nutritiously, and will be by my side in labor and delivery.
And in some cases, you might be able to find a doula who offers a combination of these services, whether it be postpartum and antepartum, sexuality and postpartum, abortion and transition. Doulas are here to help and support the collective, not a capitalistic agenda and that’s what makes them so great!
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Motor City native, Atlanta living. Sagittarius. Writer. Sexpert. Into all things magical, mystical, and unknown. I'll try anything at least once but you knew that the moment I revealed that I was a Sag.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Jodie Turner-Smith Files For Divorce From Joshua Jackson After Nearly 4 Years Of Marriage
2023 has become the year of celebrity breakups with headlines breaking left and right about celebs filing for divorce or ending high-profile relationships. The latest couple to announce their dissolution? British actress Jodie Turner-Smith. TMZ reported that Jodie has filed for a divorce from her husband, Dawson Creek alum Joshua Jackson.
As far as her reason for calling it quits, Jodie cited "irreconcilable differences," according to TMZ, and has requested joint custody of the couple's daughter, Juno Rose Diana Jackson. Late last year there were rumblings of there being "trouble in paradise" for the couple after the media realized they were no longer following each other on Instagram.
Those rumors were more than laid to rest when Jodie and Joshua went to the 2023 Oscars together earlier this year, and even more recently, when they celebrated her birthday together last month during the September unveiling of the Lotus Emeya.
Jodie Turner-Smith celebrates her birthday with husband Joshua Jackson at the unveiling of the new fully-electric Lotus Emeya on September 07, 2023 in New York City.
Brian Ach/Getty Images for Lotus
Despite seeming particularly happy and in love, perhaps the writing was already written on the wall even then. In the past, Jodie has been very celebratory publicly about her love for her estranged husband, even boldly recounting their love story for the books in a 2021 interview with Seth Meyers.
When Jodie and Joshua met, it was while at his birthday party in 2018. Their relationship was hot and heavy from the start, with Jodie openly noting that they began as a "one-night stand." During her 2021 interview with Seth Meyers, she jokingly referred to their love story as a "three-year one-night stand." She shared:
"First of all, I saw him before he saw me and when I saw him, I was like, 'I want that.' And then when he saw me, I just pretended like I didn't see him. He had to yell across the room to me, and I was wearing this T-shirt from a movie called Sorry to Bother You and [actress] Tessa Thompson plays a character called Detroit, and she has this T-shirt that says, 'The Future Is Female Ejaculation.'
"And so, he shouts across the room, 'Detroit!' He comes over and… does this really cute, charming thing that he does and just all night -- he just basically followed me around the party."
The couple were together from that moment forth, and even made things "Instagram official" less than two weeks later while on a dinner date. Joshua would later clarify to Insider that the night they met in 2018 was not a 'one-night stand' or a 'three-year one-night stand' like his then-wife joked but instead, it was "technically a three-night stand."
"It was sealed with a kiss that night and then we didn't leave each other's sides for, well, three years now," Joshua continued at the time.
In a July 2021 interview with Jimmy Fallon, Joshua dropped more details about the why behind getting married. He revealed that he didn't know he wanted to get married to Jodie until "the moment she asked me."
"She asked me on New Year's Eve. We were in Nicaragua. It was very beautiful, incredibly romantic, we were walking down the beach and she asked me to marry her."
He added, "I did not know [she would propose], but she was quite adamant and she was right. This is the best choice I ever made."
Joshua Jackson Reveals Jodie Turner-Smith Proposed To Him
Jodie received quite a bit of flack for proposing to Joshua because it goes against tradition and what society sees as acceptable for a woman to do to a man, and proposing isn't one of them. No matter how much time has passed, the viewpoints around who should do the proposing and who should be proposed to are still very traditional.
After being on the receiving end of such backlash, Joshua would later clarify to the media in a separate interview that it wasn't just Jodie's proposal to him that sealed the deal of them getting married, he proposed to her too. She might have initiated it, but Joshua followed through.
"I accidentally threw my wife under the bus because that story was told quickly and it didn't give the full context and holy Jesus, the internet is racist and misogynist," he explained to Refinery29 that same year. "We were in Nicaragua on a beautiful moonlit night, it could not possibly have been more romantic."
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He continued, "And yes, my wife did propose to me and yes, I did say yes, but what I didn't say in that interview was there was a caveat, which is that I'm still old school enough that I said, 'This is a yes, but you have to give me the opportunity [to do it too].'"
"She has a biological father and a stepdad, who's the man who raised her. [I said], 'You have to give me the opportunity to ask both of those men for your hand in marriage.' And then, 'I would like the opportunity to re-propose to you and do it the old-fashioned way down on bended knee.' So, that's actually how the story ended up."
Joshua and Jodie would eventually marry in December 2019. Shortly thereafter, Jodie gave birth to the couple's first child, Janie, in 2020.
In a recent interview with Elle UK, Jodie shared the ways becoming a mother to Juno helped to heal her of her wounds from colorism she experienced in the past. "It's interesting because I had a lot of resistance to becoming a mother and, throughout my life, I always said if I were to have children, I wanted to have Black, Black babies so that I could affirm them as children with the love that I felt I needed to have been affirmed with by the outside world," Jodie shared with the outlet.
She continued, "Then I fell in love with my husband and we talked about having kids. I did have this mini pause, where I was like, 'She's going to be walking through the world not only having an experience that I did not have, but looking like people that, in a way, I'd always felt a little bit tormented by.' Now that I've got this little, tiny, light-skinned boss, I feel like it’s the universe teaching me lessons. I've been given a daughter who looks this way to heal my own conversations around colorism."
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