Doulas - worth the money?

Crab

Hi

Recently found out we are pregnant, and I am just looking into birth and hospitals etc.
I've done lots of reading and have come across doulas - I'd like a natural birth having a doula is recommended by some, especially if you want a natural birth.

Any thoughts here? Any idea how much they cost (we live in London!) and are they worth it.

Thanks

ginvzt

Have a look at doula website:

http://www.doula.org.uk

If cost is an issue, you can find a trainee doula, who cannot charge more than £200 per birth and £10/hour for postnatal.

I haven't reach this step yet, but it is something that is in the back of my mind when I finally become 'mum-to-be'. Especially, as I have no family around to help/support me (well, only my husband).

Crab

Thanks, yeah, I found that site already - I really wanted to hear people's experiences though, and if they felt it was worth bothering with.

Glamazon

I'm sure Skintchick had a doula might be worth a PM to her

Counting_Pennies_2

My friend had a birth doula, and a home birth and said she wouldn't have been able to do the birth without her. The midwifes were quite into intervention for the baby, the doula was there just for her.

Being a first baby you might find her reassurance helpful, as OH might be a little too overwhelmed by it all to be too much help.

If having baby in hospital, it is reassuring to know someone will always be with you. Often in a busy maternity ward you are left without a midwife for a lot of the time. Be aware though, if you have a c-section they can't come in with you, unless your OH doesn't want to be there. Only one person allowed in the theatre with you. That is the only reason I didn't have a Doula, I had two scheduled C-sections, otherwise I would have had one like a shot!

Me I had a postnatal doula. I knew from an early stage I had PND and got one in to help. They are worth their weight in gold.

Good luck with the birth.

wildfrog

Maybe not quite the same, but cheaper,have you a close friend who has had children who you trust?

I was my friends birth partner, I went to her antenatals with her as well and obviously knew her wants during her labour and birth.

I understand though if you were really looking for someone who is trained

skintchick

Glamazon wrote: »

I'm sure Skintchick had a doula might be worth a PM to her

I did have one, well remembered Glam.

Mine was a trainee, although she had done lots of births but not enough since registering with Doula UK IYSWIM and I was her official qualifying one.

I think she was worth every penny. She gave me valuable support antenatally, and was fabulous during my labour. I felt very supported and happy to have her with me at home (I had a home birth) and she was great for helping OH as well.

She didn;t DO a lot as I was in control and didn;t want a lot of help, but she the moral support of her being there was great, especially as the midwife didn;t come until quite near the end of the what turned out to be a relatively short labour.

I actually think I could have given birth with only my doula present had the MW not been able to get to me for some reason.

I was her first home birth - all her other ladies had been hospital births.

The great thing about having her was that she encouraged me all the way through and reassured me that things were normal (I hadn;t expected to bleed just before going into the second stage, for example, and would have been scared had she not been there to tell me it was OK).

If there's anything specific you want to know, just ask.

If you're in the Oxon/Berks/Bucks area, my doula was Leanne Boyce and she's lovely. I'd totally recommend her.

Crab

Counting_Pennies wrote: »

My friend had a birth doula, and a home birth and said she wouldn't have been able to do the birth without her. The midwifes were quite into intervention for the baby, the doula was there just for her.

Being a first baby you might find her reassurance helpful, as OH might be a little too overwhelmed by it all to be too much help.

If having baby in hospital, it is reassuring to know someone will always be with you. Often in a busy maternity ward you are left without a midwife for a lot of the time. Be aware though, if you have a c-section they can't come in with you, unless your OH doesn't want to be there. Only one person allowed in the theatre with you. That is the only reason I didn't have a Doula, I had two scheduled C-sections, otherwise I would have had one like a shot!

Me I had a postnatal doula. I knew from an early stage I had PND and got one in to help. They are worth their weight in gold.

Good luck with the birth.

Thanks for the reply. I actually am pretty sure my DH will be awesome, and one of my concerns is that a doula would take something away from the experience for the two of us, I don't know, when I write that down it sounds irrational, I think maybe I am getting at that it might make DH feel inept, like what is he there for?

I actually only found out about doulas because I was reading a website (I think it was American) and they were on about natural births, and the women there said the doulas did more than just emotional support, they did stuff like massage your ladybits, or apply warm compresses to those parts - that's the stuff I was wondering if a doula would know better than my husband! Or is there training you can do to get your husband to know all this stuff?!

Crab

wildfrog wrote: »

Maybe not quite the same, but cheaper,have you a close friend who has had children who you trust?

I was my friends birth partner, I went to her antenatals with her as well and obviously knew her wants during her labour and birth.

I understand though if you were really looking for someone who is trained

That is actually a good idea, and I can think of one friend who would be great, and up for it! Definitely will think on that one! Thank you very much!!!
I also though have a slight worry my own mother would be a bit put out not to be more involved! I mean, she's had three children herself! I just think she'd do my head in though, and I also don't think I want her seeing my grown-up lady-bits!

Crab

skintchick wrote: »

I did have one, well remembered Glam.

Mine was a trainee, although she had done lots of births but not enough since registering with Doula UK IYSWIM and I was her official qualifying one.

I think she was worth every penny. She gave me valuable support antenatally, and was fabulous during my labour. I felt very supported and happy to have her with me at home (I had a home birth) and she was great for helping OH as well.

She didn;t DO a lot as I was in control and didn;t want a lot of help, but she the moral support of her being there was great, especially as the midwife didn;t come until quite near the end of the what turned out to be a relatively short labour.

I actually think I could have given birth with only my doula present had the MW not been able to get to me for some reason.

I was her first home birth - all her other ladies had been hospital births.

The great thing about having her was that she encouraged me all the way through and reassured me that things were normal (I hadn;t expected to bleed just before going into the second stage, for example, and would have been scared had she not been there to tell me it was OK).

If there's anything specific you want to know, just ask.

If you're in the Oxon/Berks/Bucks area, my doula was Leanne Boyce and she's lovely. I'd totally recommend her.

Brilliant, thanks for relating your personal experiences. Glad it worked so well for you. And thanks for the recommendation, though I am not in that area.
Any more comments to add after my other replies above at all?
And I am most likely to have a hospital birth, as my GP said because I was over 35, my chances of complications were higher. I am ok with this, as my home isn't a great space for having a baby anyway, and the local hospital is close, and has a nice birthing centre (with pools and stuff).

xmaslolly76

I'm going to be discussing a doula with my Oh this weekend. He was brilliant support for me so i dont want him to feel pushed out i just feel that maybe a doula would be able to fight my corner a little better as far as the home birth goes. With bubs i was told to go to hospital half way through my home birth because of maconium in my waters i later found out it was old maconium and was very watery and there wouldnt have been a problem with me staying at home. obviously at the time i was in no fit state to argue and my Oh didnt really have any knowledge so didnt feel able to argue with them.