Professional Doulas in Portland, Oregon

At Birth First Portland Doulas, we’ve been supporting expecting families and training doulas in the Portland area for over 25 years. We know what matters most is the health of you and your baby, and we also know that your experience of this journey matters! That’s what Birth First Doulas is all about: putting you, your family, and your birth, first! Discover for yourself why Birth First has the most 5 Star Google Reviews of any doula group in town!

Couple in labor
Couple in labor
Brooke Noli & Rebecca Durlin Smith, Birth First Doulas

Brooke & Rebecca created Birth First Doulas to help families and doulas find each other!

Our team model is designed to support doulas so they can best support you! Portland, Oregon has a rich community of doulas and at Birth First we believe doulas are at their best personally and professionally when they’re part of a supportive, structured community. All of our doulas have access to a built-in network of back-up doulas, collegial support, opportunities for continuing education, and mentoring from some of the most experienced doula trainers in town.

Your Birth, Your Way!

Birth First Portland Doulas believes in you! That’s why our birth doulas are agenda-free and never assume there’s a “right” way to give birth. Your goals are our goals, so no matter how your baby enters into this world (unmedicated birth, epidural assisted birth, or cesarean birth), our doulas will support your family’s decisions 100%. Each doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support so you’ll have all the tools you need to navigate the medical system, birth your baby, and make informed decisions all along the way.

The Birth First Approach to Doula Care

We honor

your labor and birth experience as a transformative life event.

We believe

there are as many ways to give birth as there are pregnant people in the world.

We practice

informed consent so you can make well-informed decisions.

We encourage

your distinct birthing style and offer complimentary suggestions.

We respect

your family’s identities, beliefs, preferences, and communication styles.

We support

your relationship to promote teamwork and success throughout the process.

We recognize

that birth can be unpredictable and may need openness and flexibility.

We appreciate

medical providers for their expertise and respectfully advocate for you.

We understand

that you, your family, and your birth are unique and deserve individualized care.

Our Mission

Birth First Doulas’ mission is to provide professional doula services to growing families, contribute to positive childbirth experiences, promote the rights and autonomy of birthing people, nurture the professional experience and continuing education of doulas, and uplift the doula profession as a whole.

Our Values

Birth First Doulas’ values include non-judgemental support for every family and birth experience, communicating respectfully and mindfully, nurturing doulas both professionally and personally, and fostering a spirit of community and abundance.

Kind Words From Our Lovely Clients

Birth First Doulas is great! They took such care in helping me set up interviews and match with the right doula for me. My doula empowered me throughout my pregnancy and she was right by my side through the ups and downs of my birth. She helped keep me in the loop when things got a little complicated and uncertain in the birth room and made me feel so safe and secure. I highly recommend adding a Birth First Doula to your team!

Camille, Portland, Oregon

10/10 recommend!! My husband and I hit the jackpot with Birth First Doulas. From the start they took our needs and wants into consideration to help match us with our doula, who was an instant fit with our family. She was warm, kind, funny and ALWAYS there to support us in all the right ways. Every time I talk about my pregnancy and birth, I share how grateful we were to have had our doula by our side during the most important time in our lives.

Hannah, Portland, Oregon

All of the glowing 5-star reviews are true – working with Birth First Doulas was definitely one of the best decisions we made during our pregnancy. Every member of the team is kind, responsive and very supportive throughout the whole process. I really enjoyed the doula match-making process and we are forever grateful for the experience our Birth First doula provided us with during the birth of our first child. Amazing experience all around!

Cornelia, Portland, Oregon