XP: I think (and hope) that I found my doula.

jenbabe3

She's coming over on Tuesday to meet with H and I, but so far I've loved everything I've heard/read/seen from her.  She's been at 4 VBACs with my OB and had nothing but praise for my OB in re: to being very hands off and letting the mom do what she needed to do to labor (which I was so relieved to hear) rather than imposing and trying to force certain things to happen.  She said that she never even heard my OB say the word "c-section" during those births.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am.

I don't know that I'm necessarily going to attempt a natural birth - I think I will most likely end up with at least a walking epidural, but I want the doula there to help me with my goal of VBAC.  I've been afraid of ending up in L&D for hours upon hours and then having my OB (or some other doc if mine can't be there) try to talk me into a c-section because things are taking too long and they want to go home. I know several women that this has happened to, and they all say the same thing - "I was tired, overwhelmed, and emotional, and I gave in to the doctors, and now I regret it and wish I would've tried longer for the vaginal birth."  I do NOT want that to happen to me. If a c/s is medically necessary, fine, but I don't want a dr trying to talk me into it and make me think that it's necessary when it isn't.  I feel like a doula can really help me and be there to support me should this happen.

posey46

Congrats on finding your doula.  I had mine all lined up to go and then she had a family emergency and had to back out.    We're FTP and at this point, we're going to wing it and hope we can use her next time.

Luv4Minnesota

that's awesome!  We have hired a doula for our birth and couldn't be more excited about her.  I am going for a VBAC too and cannot wait to push my baby out!  Good luck to you.