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Please share your doula experiences

rayofsunshine99rayofsunshine99 member
in Natural Birth

Hello!  I am pregnant with my second child and considering a doula for L&D.  With my son I had a vaginal birth but with a lot of interventions (induced with pitocin, they manually broke my water, was in labor for 21 hours, pushed for 3.5, epidural wore off long before he was born, they tried forecepts, the vacuum and an episiotomy and then they turned up the pit again after he was born)

This time I'm hoping for a med-free birth... partially so that I can try various positions while pushing and not be bound to the bed the whole time.  I am also contemplating labor & delivery in the water.

Anyway, I'm considering a doula to help me through it but I was wondering for those who have used a doula, if you could share your experience?  What was it like having someone coaching you through L&D?  And did you end up making it without the epidural and if not how did that go?

Mommy to
Tyler (10/29/08)
and Lily (4/21/13)

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Re: Please share your doula experiences

  • aylafsu88aylafsu88 member
    I loved my doula! My DH and I took the Bradley classes to prepare for L&D but we also wanted a doula there with us as we were first time parents. We interviewed several doulas and went with the one that we felt most comfortable with. She was amazing and having her at my delivery made a huge difference.  I had an anterior placenta and was worried my LO would be OP.  She helped me get into positions that would help my LO be in a more favorable position for delivery.  She also helped keep me positive and told me how great I was doing throughout labor.  That is a big deal when 8 hours have passed and you are starting to become tired.  When I started pushing I had a hard time dealing with the pressure.  I was screaming and freaking out a little.  My doula helped me calm down and kept me focused.  I made it through without any pain medication and no interventions.  My DH and I think she was worth every penny we paid her and that she helped make our birth a wonderful stress free experience.  We plan to have a doula at our next birth (hopefully the same one)!
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  • bandwifebandwife

    As a FTM I had a Doula for a home birth.

    It was fantastic.

    She allowed my DH to be very involved - her guidance helped him support me during labor.

    I also credit her with allowing me not to be induced - I was GBS+ with ruptured membranes and was on the clock to deliver. She got us set up with an acupuncturist and gave great advice on how to get labor started.

    She was well worth the money.

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