‘So grateful’: Doulas offer mothers a personal connection amid postpartum depression

Connecticut Public Radio by Sujata Srinivasan, June 2, 2026. 

Dogs Lily and Daisy ran in excited circles, chasing their tails and barking as the doorbell rang.

Jen Shea opened the door to her house in Rocky Hill to welcome her doula, Desirae Whittle.

They exchanged hellos and hugs, as well as a personalized candle; the banter was light and easy, for theirs is a relationship that goes back more than five years.

Shea had postpartum depression. Whittle was her safety net.

“Desirae has been a safe space for me,” Shea said. “She’s witnessed the highs and lows of my IVF, pregnancy, birth and postpartum journeys. Having Desirae [be] a part of my story made a major difference in my experiences. Now, I am so lucky to have Desirae in my life as a wonderful friend.”

One in eight women experience postpartum depression. Data shows nearly half of all women in the U.S. experiencing postpartum depression are not diagnosed by a health care professional. Some fall through the gaps and are caught by doulas.

Doulas are not doctors. Doulas are not midwives, so they don’t manage labor and deliver babies. But they get training and certification to become part coach, part caregiver, offering physical and emotional support before, during and after childbirth. They help with everything from checklists and chores to mental health check-ins.

There’s a growing desire for more doulas, so efforts are underway in Connecticut to expand the doula population, involving the state as well as hospital systems.

Whittle said being a perinatal doula is her calling.

“Especially this community I love serving, expecting after the unexpected,” she said.

Read more at Connecticut Public Radio.