Did you have a doula? Was it worth it?

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I’m interviewing a doula later this month for my 4th birth. I wish I had one with previous births but for this one it’s really important as I’m trying for a VBAC and it’s more likely to be successful with a doula. Plus I am a loss mom and I have diagnosed PTSD from my last birth, and the death of my medically fragile daughter. Going into any hospital gives me a panic attack, which I am working on in therapy, but I need all the emotional support I can get.  The doula I am meeting with came highly recommended by my midwife friend, and she’s also a loss mom, so I think she will get me better than most.  Had I known more about doulas before I would have had one for all my births.

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If you are planning a natural birth they are highly recommended. If you are planning on having a medicated birth than I don’t see why you would need one🤷🏻‍♀️

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I had two natural births and didn’t have one. My labors went to fast to justify having one.

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I did and she was sooo useless. I was in a foreign country so finding an English speaking doula was EXPENSIVE. I found someone from the US also living there who charged $2,000. Exploitation at its finest, but I thought it would be worth it if she helped me (and my husband). My labor was 75.5 hours and she showed up as I was getting wheeled back for an emergency C-section, so I had no help for THREE DAYS as I was having contractions with no pain meds that entire time. Granted my contractions were reading off the charts but, at most, annoying...not painful. I had complications from the epi given in the OR and had to be put under. Also had complications from that and took 3.5 hours to wake up. When I finally did wake up I thought “great, I am sure the doula reassured my husband and my mother because she’s seen situations like this before”... NOPE, WRONG. She did no such thing and my mom was freaking out. My husband trusted our doctor so he was good, but annoyed that the doula didn’t help to calm my mom so he could solely focus on our daughter (he was doing skin to skin the entire time). 
She took pictures on my phone during my C-section and when I met the baby. She had such great reviews too. I don’t know how. I could have spent half as much money on an actual birth photographer 🤷🏻‍♀️ 
However, that is just my experience. I have heard amazing stories about doulas.

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I am a doula and have had moms who never considered having one tell me they couldn’t have seen themselves give birth without one. I personally would want one!

Did you have a doula? Was it worth it?

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