What Does a Doula Actually Do? Birth, Postpartum, and End of Life Support in Sioux Falls
/Well this certainly feels big, and during World Doula Week 2026, no less! Transitions: Doula & Life Services was featured in a podcast “Dialed In Health”!
So if you’ve ever wondered what a doula actually does, or you’ve heard the word but aren’t totally sure what it means, this conversation is for you.
Kelsie and Renee recently sat down with Dialed In Health for a 30-minute episode to talk about what doulas really do, what support actually looks like during pregnancy and postpartum and end of life, and why so many families feel like something is missing after baby arrives.
Because here’s the truth: most people don’t realize what kind of support is even available to them! Especially here in Sioux Falls.
Melissa goodwin, host of dialed in health, speaks with renee forred and kelsie thomas of transitions: doula & life services.
What is a doula? (And what does a doula do?)
A doula is a non-medical support person who provides emotional, physical, and educational support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
But that definition doesn’t fully capture it.
What we talked about in this episode is this:
A doula is someone who is there for you.
Not just your baby.
Not just your birth plan.
Not just the clinical pieces.
You.
For families in Sioux Falls and surrounding communities, this kind of support can look like having someone steady, experienced, and fully focused on your experience… not just the outcome. (Because healthy mom, healthy baby isn’t the full story!)
Jill shared her experience using a doula’s support to have a vbac.
We are so grateful that we had clients excited to share their experiences using our doula support!
Jill utilized doula support for the birth of her second baby. After a cesarean delivery with her first baby, she was determined to accomplish a VBAC. Sarah, her birth doula, helped Jill and her husband through an amazing VBAC experience. (Jump to 6:30 in the episode to hear Jill’s story!)
John and Kristin nau share their experience about utilizing postpartum doula support after the birth of their first.
John and Kristin joined us to share about their overnight and daytime postpartum doula support. Ashlyn, Tesza, and Renee all collaborated to help bring them peace and healing in the fourth trimester. (Jump to 10:45 in the episode to hear John and Kristin’s story!)
Other good stuff we talked about in the episode
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from our conversation:
Postpartum support is often missing.
A lot of families prepare for labor… and then feel completely unprepared for what comes after.
We talked about how postpartum can feel like a huge drop-off in care, and how having postpartum doula support can completely change that experience.
Doulas fill the gaps in modern maternity care! Your provider is there to keep you and your baby medically safe. A doula is there to help you feel:
supported
informed
grounded
less alone
Those are very different roles, and both matter.
Doula support is more than just birth. We talked about how doula support in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area can include:
One-on-one childbirth preparation
Talking through decisions without pressure or bias
Supporting partners so they feel confident and involved
Hands-on postpartum help when everything feels overwhelming
And even support through end-of-life transitions.
Kelsie thomas, owner and doula, talks about end of life and transitional doula support.
Postpartum healing deserves more attention. This was a big part of the conversation!
Healing isn’t just:
“you and the baby are healthy, so everything’s fine”
It’s:
physical recovery
emotional processing
sleep deprivation
identity shifts
learning your baby
Postpartum support isn’t extra, it’s foundational.
Placenta encapsulation and postpartum recovery
We also talked about placenta encapsulation as one option for postpartum recovery.
This process prepares the placenta (typically into capsules) for postpartum use.
For some families, placenta encapsulation can support:
energy levels
mood
overall recovery
For others, it’s not something they’re interested in, and that’s okay too.
What matters most is having clear, grounded information so you can make the decision that feels right for you.
Placenta encapsulation is one small piece of a much bigger picture of postpartum healing and support.
Listen to the full podcast episode
If you want to hear the full conversation about birth doulas, postpartum support, and what families really need, you can listen here:
Or watch on YouTube! https://youtu.be/HmZM9GK-L_A?si=bjqt6I1R9w3mRQax
It’s about 30 minutes—perfect for a walk, a drive, or folding laundry.
Looking for a doula in Sioux Falls, Brookings, Yankton, or Mitchell?
If you’re pregnant or newly postpartum and feeling like:
“I don’t really know what I need yet”
“I think I want more support, but I’m not sure what that looks like”
You’re not alone in that.
That’s exactly why this work exists.
The Tranitions Team supports families throughout Sioux Falls and the surrounding area with birth doula services, postpartum care, end of life support, and education.
If you want to talk through what support could look like for your family, we’re here!