Free doula program at Johns Hopkins Hospital provides mothers with a more supportive birth experience

Johns Hopkins University's School of Nursing provides a free program called the Birth Companions , offering doulas for expecting mothers seeking a more supportive birth experience.

Stephanie, a Maryland resident, is a new mom who has recently completed the program.

"When your hormones are going crazy and all that stuff. It's nice to know that you can go back to somebody who understands what you're going through," said Stephanie, a new mother and recipient of Birth Companion services.

Stephanie told WJZ she applied when she was about three months pregnant, and a few weeks later, she was matched with two nursing students who'd later become her doulas.

Birth Companions is a program where Johns Hopkins nursing students train and offer free doula services to expecting mothers in the great