Doula

Leanne Franklin

is anyone having a doula at their birth? 

any past experiences with a doula? is it worth the money? 

luvmyducks

I had one with DD1's birth and yes she was worth it. I had a med free birth plan and since I had no idea what I was going into I wanted support from someone who was knowledgable and could focus on helping me. I won't be getting one this time only bc of the money factor.

purplepeanut6

im in the midst of looking for one. my hospital loves c sections which i am trying to avoid. So i want an advocate. but they are so expensive!! 

HepCat

We haven't found one for this delivery, but had one with DS and it was well worth it. I liked that she was there for both of us...if DH wanted to grab a nap or some food I wouldn't have been alone.

melissabshelton

I'm attempting med free again and would love to have one.  I even came across one who is looking for births to attend so she can get her certification so she's not charging.  DH isn't interested though since we're already using a team of midwives.

mittensonkittens

I had one for my first baby. It was helpful for DH and I to have the support from someone who had been through it before. I was able to have the med free birth that I wanted. I didn't get a doula for the second birth and I won't this time just because I didn't think I needed the extra support after having done it already.

sonshine0609

Totally worth the money! I wish I would have had one during my first birth but there just weren't any in the area & it would have been way out of my price range. It's one of my life goals to go into this field.

KERJF

We did not with DD1.

Since we are doing a water birth this time, our hospital provides a doula to work with us and be there during l&d. 

What is neat though - if you decide last minute at my hospital you want a doula - they are $200 - but the hospital will pay the doula $150 of that so you only pay out of pocket $50.

aehamilton13

We're having one. DH has an extreme phobia of hospitals and medical things, so he'll be pretty useless at birth. It wasn't an option for us, in my mind, as I know I'll need someone who is rational and can stick with me throughout the experience in case DH has to go wait in the waiting room.

arcook0307

We had one for our first bc we had no clue what to expect and wnted the emotional support.  My goal was to avoid a c-section and epidural and we did with her gentle encouragement.  SHe vocalized with me when I wouldn't have known how to work through contractions, calmed my fears when I'd say something felt weird (she knew it was normal I guess).  SHe was my support bc my poor husband didn't know exactly how to encourage me that everything was normal. lol

 We are getting another doula, although a different one just bc we relocated to another state. We made payments last time and are making payments this time.  It ended up being a really good thing bc there is a very good chance DH will miss the birth due to being out of town.  My family is a good distance away so it's nice to know I have her.  

queenbone

In hindsight I regret not hiring a doula. I suspect my induction would not have ended in a c/s if I had someone else advocating for me. I had my BFF, who is a NICU nurse and had had two vagina deliveries, in the room with me during my labor, but neither she nor my DH really fought for me with the OB.

minouvan

queenbone:

In hindsight I regret not hiring a doula. I suspect my induction would not have ended in a c/s if I had someone else advocating for me. I had my BFF, who is a NICU nurse and had had two vagina deliveries, in the room with me during my labor, but neither she nor my DH really fought for me with the OB.

My doula says that she cannot advocate for me... She also cannot speak to medical personnel on my behalf, due to liability and not being my spouse or legal representative. What she will do is remind me of what my rights are, i.e. ask for other options, or remind me of why I wanted to follow a certain plan. So, yes, it may have helped in your situation, but it may not have.

Love my doula, but don't want mamas going away with unrealistic expectations!

mdlorenz

Yes! I can't wait to work with our doula for this birth. 

In terms of worth I think it depends on what your ideals are. Clearly *anything* can happen during labor and birth, but if you are hoping to have an unmedicated birth, using a doula can help you achieve that goal. Even if you have a planned c/s, working with a supportive woman during the whole process (either during birth or in a purely postpartum role) can be quite helpful.

Cochrane review about continuous support during labor: https://summaries.cochrane.org/CD003766/continuous-support-for-women-during-childbirth

If cost is a big barrier, you can certainly ask local doulas if they know student doulas (in training, sometimes free) or newer doulas (often less expensive) or even volunteers (if your financial situation is particularly tenuous). 

DONA (Doulas of North America) - find a doula site:  https://www.dona.org/mothers/find_a_doula.php   [also explains different roles of birth vs postpartum doulas!] 

valstulas

I have never had a doula, but I will say this: I had planned on having a med free birth with DS1 but was begging for an epidural once I got into active labor. I had an amazing nurse who took the time to help calm me down, breathe with me, and tell me that I could do it. I was very fortunate. Some L and D nurses will do this, some won't, and sometimes they are just swamped and don't have the time. I am sure I would have ended up with an epidural had I not had a strong advocate in my corner. So yes, if you have the money for it, I would recommend having a doula, especially if you have a specific vision for how you would like your birth to go.