I'm 31 weeks with my second baby and I'm considering a natural hospital birth. I had planned one with DS but was induced at 40 weeks and ended up with an IV and epi.
I don't like the idea of a home birth and the nearest birth center is maybe 45 minutes away and has a very high transfer rate to their partner hospital. So I had planned to deliver at our local hospital (10 min away) but at the tour this week I got the impression that the nurses there were unprepared to help/deal with a natural delivery. For example, I asked whether women could choose to deliver in a position other than reclining and the nurse gave me a blank stare then said, "I think we have a squatting bar around here somewhere. I'm not sure where it is. We haven't used it in so long."
My ideal would be to labor at home for as long as possible and arrive at the hospital when I'm already 6 or 7 cm (is that realistic?). I'm wondering if it would be worth it to hire a doula. I'm a reserved person by nature and don't love the idea of someone watching me be that vulnerable, but I also really really want to avoid a c-section and will do almost anything to avoid one. The doula I'm considering is also a midwife and could do internal exams, which might help me avoid leaving for the hospital too early.
But I'm wondering if it's worth the expense. Around here, most of the experienced doulas charge around $1000 to attend a birth, unless they're students. I know using a doula can shorten labor a bit and help avoid interventions, but is it worth that much? Did you use a doula and are they necessary?
Re: is a doula worth it?
It's a really personal decision.
My doula is $550, not $1000. I got her to change some of her prenatal visits this time to post-partum support visits, as that's what I need more. DH really wanted a doula again because she made him feel so much more confident and useful last time. I needed her for physical support (hip squeezes and back counterpressure), knowledge (she was great at knowing when to go to the hospital, no fingers in my vagina requires), and a calming presence.
Whether it's worth "that much" depends on how much money that is in your life and how much you want what you want. "Necessary"? Of course not. Women have babies without a doula every day. Whether they have the experience they wanted or the one they could have had is somewhat less clear cut.
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B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17
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Yes, it is realistic to labor at home and arrive at the hospital 6 or 7cm dialated. I labored at home with my Doula (who could not do internal checks) for as long as I could and arrived at the Hosptal at 7-7.5 CM.
As far as hiring a Doula, thats a really personal decision. I hired one for the birth of my son and it was the best money I spent. She will be with me for this birth as well. I am usually a reserved person but I never felt like she was intruding or awkward that she was there. I would say they are totally worth it
9/19/12: Miscarriage at 12wks due to Triploidy, D&C 9/24/12 - I will forever miss you my little angel
The other thing to consider is where and with who you're planning to give birth.
If you're in a highly supportive environment (like a birth center) with a highly supportive team (like a pro-natural birth midwife), then you'll likely be fine without a doula.
If you're at a hospital with a conventionally-minded OB, then I'd highly recommend the doula.
There are plenty of women on the board that had great births without a doula... but very few of those women had "the usual" hospital births with an OB group.
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I agree with all the PPs - and while I usually don't reply if there have been a string of answers that reflect my opinion, since the point has been made - I'm replying because I feel so strongly that a doula or very good knowledgeable support person IS SO important. Especially in a hospital setting - and in the one you describe, even more so. I'll go out on a bold limb and say that you won't get the birth you want by yourselves at that hospital - docs and nurses can be so intimidating and you and your husband WILL feel vulnerable to THEM. And you'll feel empowered with a doula at your side, not vulnerable. She'll be good at keeping you relaxed, making small suggestions and staying out of your and your husband's way. I've NEVER heard of anyone feeling their doula made them uncomfortable, ever.
I went into my first labor super relaxed and naive that it would all just happen just right - and ended in C/S for reasons I know a doula could have helped us avoid. Positioning of baby and how to respond to the docs when they said it was time to intervene, with questions like 'Is this medically necessary?" and " Can we have several minutes of privacy to discuss this among ourselves?" to "what are our options other than this intervention?" etc.
So for #2, I did get a doula and it made ALL THE DIFFERENCE! Not only in the birth itself (successful hospital unmedicated VBAC) but in how I processed it all, and postpartum nursing, care, etc. It was worth all the money. After the birth of our #1, we easily spent the money of what a doula would have cost on breastfeeding help, pumping supplies, formula, etc over the first 6m or year. (She was deep-suctioned at birth and never figured out nursing, had formula before my milk came in and then I exclusively pumped for months and she has some severe life-long food allergies), none of which happened from my #2 - (it's almost impossible for me to separate the experiences and outcomes, and research supports the connections)
And any splurges you've considered for baby gear, IMO, should go instead to doula services.
Just look at the VBAC board, as one example of how many women want different experiences than the ones they got the first time around - I'd also say if more women had doulas, there'd be a lot more satisfied moms in regards to their births, even if they still end up medicated or in c-sections.
OK, off my soap box. I'm done Shouldn't have had that 2nd ice tea at lunch.
Good luck!