Tell me about your experience with a doula!

Re: Tell me about your experience with a doula!

• tokenhoser member

  February 2013

  We hired a doula last time and are hiring her again this time.

  We met 3 times before the birth, then she came to my house once I asked her to to help me cope at home and decide when to go to the hospital. She was very helpful in providing back counterpressure and hip squeezes, and in directing DH how to do those properly. They swapped places to do both at once for pretty much every contraction for about 5 hours. She kept us calm and gave good advice on when to go to the hospital. She stayed with me in check-in while DH parked the car. She was generally a calm presence in a bit of a chaotic place.

  We did a short childbirth class through the hospital, but that was just 3 evenings. DH didn't really prepare - he's not a big reader and he wasn't into the idea of a long class. She made him the perfect support for me. 

  Look into the c-section rate declines with a doula - 12% decrease generally, over 40% for induced labours. That's pretty compelling to me. 
  

  
  
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• aylafsu88 member

  February 2013

  I had a doula and she was worth every penny we paid her. 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. She was amazing and having her at my delivery made a huge difference.  She 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.  It was really nice to have someone at our birth you had seen/done this before. It kept us both calm and it gave my DH a break when he needed to go to the bathroom or relax for a few minutes.  If you do not have a close family member or a friend who can be a support to you then I would consider a doula. IMO having an experienced person support you during L&D is a big factor to going natural.  You never know what could happen and a doula can keep you and your H calm, relaxed, and focused.
  

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• ldpm

  February 2013

  I am a doula. I became a birth doula because of the great, experienced help I got in labor with mu daughter, and I became a postpartum doula because I did not realize how support is very good after the birth, too, until it was too late I had postpartum depression, but did not get support until my girl was 8 months old. I love working with moms and dads, especially since ots easy to forget coping techniques, etc, or get confused about which helps what, when it's not your job. Dads can relax, knowing I can offer a suggestion to help mom, or explain what's going on if needed.

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• A37licia member

  February 2013

  If you're wanting to achieve natural childbirth in a hospital, I highly, highly recommend a doula. She will be very in tune with what you want for the birth and be the one who is strong mentally when you're most vulnerable to ensure that your wishes are granted.  The one exception where you could get by without a doula is a hospital that has a track record for being very supportive of natural childbirth, including the nursing staff. There is a hospital here in Seattle where I feel I could go without a doula.

  We hired one when we were planning a hospital VBAC for a very NCB friendly hospital, and we switched to homebirth at 26 weeks. We retained her of course, and she was a huge aid while I researched and contemplated homebirth. Even though my labor was short, and we didn't utilize her one bit for labor support (she came when I was pushing), we were glad to have her. We've hired her again for this birth, mainly because I don't know what to anticipate for my third birth (second at home). 
  

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• amberthehobbit member

  February 2013

  LOVE my doula. I recommend hiring a doula to every pregnant woman I know now.

  

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• dalzien member

  February 2013

  Megobuddy:

  I'm looking in to hiring a doula and would like to hear from other women who have had them. 
  

  I'm planning on having an all-natural delivery and my husband and I are also planning on taking child birth classes.  I've heard that having an experienced birthing coach can make things much easier and more relaxing.  

  In my situation, I don't have a close family member or friend to help me.  I'd love to have my mom with me but, reality is, she would probably drive me crazy in a high stress situation.  The idea of having a calm, experienced woman to help alleviate the pain is appealing to me and makes the experience sound less scary.
  

  Any thoughts on this?
  

  I would do your research when you hire one and get references if possible. My cousin hired a doula for her birth and said that she did jack squat and was a waste of almost $700. She was beyond pissed. She had apparently seemed really great during the interview, but when it came down to labor she was late, spent most of the time out of the room talking to other clients, and when it came time to sticking up for what my cousin wanted birth wise her husband had to speak up about a c section because the doulas attitude was like "whatever the doctor thinks". I know most people have great doulas to help, but my cousins experience just completely turned me off getting one (I wanted a midwife, but they were completely booked in my area).

  GL. 

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• cheesecakerunner member

  February 2013

  dalzien:

  Megobuddy:

  I'm looking in to hiring a doula and would like to hear from other women who have had them. 
  

  I'm planning on having an all-natural delivery and my husband and I are also planning on taking child birth classes.  I've heard that having an experienced birthing coach can make things much easier and more relaxing.  

  In my situation, I don't have a close family member or friend to help me.  I'd love to have my mom with me but, reality is, she would probably drive me crazy in a high stress situation.  The idea of having a calm, experienced woman to help alleviate the pain is appealing to me and makes the experience sound less scary.
  

  Any thoughts on this?
  

  I would do your research when you hire one and get references if possible. My cousin hired a doula for her birth and said that she did jack squat and was a waste of almost $700. She was beyond pissed. She had apparently seemed really great during the interview, but when it came down to labor she was late, spent most of the time out of the room talking to other clients, and when it came time to sticking up for what my cousin wanted birth wise her husband had to speak up about a c section because the doulas attitude was like "whatever the doctor thinks". I know most people have great doulas to help, but my cousins experience just completely turned me off getting one (I wanted a midwife, but they were completely booked in my area).

  GL. 

  While the service your cousin got does sound bad and not worth $700, it's important to remember that doulas aren't medical professionals and can't tell you whether a procedure is a good idea or not. The liability issues would be insane! 

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• dalzien member

  February 2013

  cheesecakerunner:

  dalzien:

  Megobuddy:

  I'm looking in to hiring a doula and would like to hear from other women who have had them. 
  

  I'm planning on having an all-natural delivery and my husband and I are also planning on taking child birth classes.  I've heard that having an experienced birthing coach can make things much easier and more relaxing.  

  In my situation, I don't have a close family member or friend to help me.  I'd love to have my mom with me but, reality is, she would probably drive me crazy in a high stress situation.  The idea of having a calm, experienced woman to help alleviate the pain is appealing to me and makes the experience sound less scary.
  

  Any thoughts on this?
  

  I would do your research when you hire one and get references if possible. My cousin hired a doula for her birth and said that she did jack squat and was a waste of almost $700. She was beyond pissed. She had apparently seemed really great during the interview, but when it came down to labor she was late, spent most of the time out of the room talking to other clients, and when it came time to sticking up for what my cousin wanted birth wise her husband had to speak up about a c section because the doulas attitude was like "whatever the doctor thinks". I know most people have great doulas to help, but my cousins experience just completely turned me off getting one (I wanted a midwife, but they were completely booked in my area).

  GL. 

  While the service your cousin got does sound bad and not worth $700, it's important to remember that doulas aren't medical professionals and can't tell you whether a procedure is a good idea or not. The liability issues would be insane! 

  I think her biggest regret was not getting references. She didn't end up with a c section, they gave her an episiotomy and did a forceps birth because her husband pushed for a second opinion on the c section.

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• MeggM1 member

  February 2013

  My doula was seriously invaluable and while I would like to think I could have done a med/intervention free birth regardless, I give her a lot of credit for getting me through the labor without pain meds.  I can't imagine now doing that without a doula's support.  My doula was incredible.  She switched things up when they weren't working for my pain relief, was reassuring when I needed her to be, was strong and firm when I needed her to be - just everything.  She came to a doctor's appointment with me beforehand and worked really well with my doctor during the pushing, and she kept my husband involved.  I just can't say enough about how great my experience was and how much I credit my doula for that.  I'm a huge "get yourself a doula" advocate now, ESPECIALLY if you are having a natural hospital birth.

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