“All we wanted was someone to reassure us and tell us everything was normal.” The new father who voiced this sentiment may not have known it, but he was describing a birth doula.
Birth doulas provide non-medical support before, during and after labor. They are trained to provide emotional support to expectant families and strategies to increase the laboring woman’s physical comfort. They’ll even take care of practical necessities like running errands so the couple can focus their full attention on the birth.
Doulas provide continuous care—from the onset of labor through the birth until breastfeeding is established—including a postpartum home visit.
“I come as soon as the mom wants me, whether that’s at home with early contractions or at the hospital,” says Rose Day, a birth doula and doula trainer for Nurturing Hearts Birth Services. “After the birth, lots of moms say they couldn’t have done it without me. I don’t believe that. They could. But the feeling of having been supported, of having someone there to take care of you and make sure you have what you want makes all the difference in a birth experience.”
Studies show that constant support from a doula increases the mom’s chances of having a natural birth, but doulas are trained to provide support for any type of birth situation, including a scheduled Cesarean.
“Many times I work as much with dad or grandma as I do mom,” says Day. “I have different roles at every birth. It’s nice for dad because if I’m there he doesn’t have to worry about remembering everything from the childbirth class or feeling responsible for what’s going on when he’s never been through it before.”
Expect to spend between $250 and $600 (with $400 being average) for a birth doula’s services in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Don’t think you can afford it? Doulas in training often will work for free or offer discounted rates. Local nonprofit ADOBE Doulas is dedicated to providing doulas for all women, regardless of economic status. Many doulas offer payment plans and some will barter. Operation Special Delivery offers doula support to women whose husbands are deployed at the time of the birth.
Day advises expectant parents to “interview as many as they can and choose who they like the best and who feels right—rather than the one who was the least expensive or has the most included in her package. Then spend time together before the birth to be sure it’s a good fit. You don’t want to be in labor with a woman when you can’t stand the way she clears her throat.”
