Anyone had a DOULA? would you recommend it?
Bywhat are some things that they do that make it all worth the money? My hubby and I are thinking about a lady, she charges $450, and this is my first time pregnancy so I’m wondering whether it’s a good idea, or if we should save the money for baby?
The doula comes with me to the hospital, she does not deliver my baby, a doctor does… a midwife is someone who delivers the baby
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8 Comments
May 9th, 2010 at 1:48 am
no one but a professional doctor should be helping you…. dont be fashionable about an immportant thing like this
May 9th, 2010 at 2:42 am
you should be at a hospital where there are profesionals around you you dont know what complications may occur that you might need a doctor’s intervention believe me during labor sometimes complications rise and for the health of your baby think about a hospital
May 9th, 2010 at 3:38 am
shes basically a midwife…….they’ve been used for years…..i guess it depend if you want to go natural r have medication to help with labor …..i watch baby story a lot and see a lot of dulas on that show…..they are pretty well trained in their field ….they can also go to hospital for those of u who are misinformed on the facts….
May 9th, 2010 at 4:35 am
The people who have answered this question so far must not know what a doula is.
If you are wanting to have an unmedicated birth in the hospital, then ABSOLUTELY, you MUST hire the doula. The hospital would much rather give you an epidural because it makes their job so much easier. You are quiet, content, and stay right there in your bed like a good little patient.
When in labor, you will lose sight of the plans you had made for the birth you wanted to have. And honestly, husbands are not fantastic at watching their wife in pain. Your doula will give you confidence and remind you that this is what you wanted, that you can do this, that women have been giving birth for hundreds of years and your body is built for it.
Also, the doula should come to your home after the birth to help you — bring you food, do some housework, hold the baby so you can get some rest if you are having trouble sleeping, etc.
Your husband loves you, but he has not spent years sitting by the side of laboring women and been trained in natural pain relief. Hire the doula. And read the book, Gentle Birth Choices. You can find it in just about every library. A must-read for every pregnant woman contemplating natural birth.
May 9th, 2010 at 5:25 am
the doula comes to the hospital with you and basically coaches you in a more spiritual and soothing way while you’re going through your labor. i think it’s definitely worth it. you’re still at a hospital so if an emergency should arise you will be well taken care of… i just think the doula is better if you don’t want any drugs during labor.
May 9th, 2010 at 5:39 am
Yes, I had a doula and I highly recommend having one. My doula was $750 and still worth it!
The main reason I hired a doula was because I wanted to have a natural childbirth in the hospital. She helped us prepare for the birth and write up a birth plan. She planned to come to our house during early labor, but my water broke and labor progressed fairly quickly, so she met us at the hospital. Once we were there, she helped us check in, brought soothing music, and gave me a massage! She helped me get into positions that helped move labor along more quickly and comfortably. When I was going through transition, she provided counter-pressure to my hips and back. My husband would have never known what to do, and her experience was a life saver. She was wonderful. She also helped me with breastfeeding. After the baby was home, she followed up with dinner and made sure we were doing okay. It is nice to have a doula dedicated to YOU and who has the goal of helping you get the birth that you want. Even if you have a labor and delivery nurse that is on board with your wishes (which is rare), they are not able to wait on you one-on-one like your doula can.
May 9th, 2010 at 6:22 am
I had a doula. My doula was ok. I was glad I had her. If you are going to have a hospital birth and you want to do it naturally without medications…etc….a doula is a good advocate…………..I don’t know for sure whether I recommend a doula or not…..I felt my doula didn’t do as much as I would have liked or expected…but I picked the first one I came across….I recommend interviewing several……and getting lots of references from each one.
May 9th, 2010 at 6:23 am
I had a doula the first time around and have one for this pregnancy too. I found my experience with a doula to be great.
With my first, my doula was such an amazing support – I forgot everything I had learned when I went into labour and she became my focal point and helped to direct what we had previously discussed me wanting to happen. I don’t know what I would have done without her! I was single at the time and so having her and my mother there was really helpful.
My doula this time around has come out to my house twice now and we’ll meet once more before the birth in order to go over everything. I find she’s very supportive and will definitely help my poor husband out who won’t have a clue what to do!
Having a doula doesn’t mean you have to have an unmedicated birth – doulas apparently do help to decrease the chances of requiring an epidural, etc., but not every doula is completely against it. My doula feels it’s my choice and she’s there to support the labour and delivery, in whatever way I want it to happen. You should meet with a few doulas to get an idea of what their experiences are and what their thoughts are on labour and delivery before choosing one – it’s important to find the one that best meets your needs, that will listen to what you want, that won’t make you feel bad for decisions you make that they may have another opinion on, and most importantly – that you feel comfortable with.
I would highly recommend a doula for someone who would like that extra support in the delivery room (and for a million questions before – I email mine almost every other day asking questions!).