Working with a birth doula isn’t necessarily for everyone. But we are of the (probably a little bit biased) opinion that waaaay more people having a baby could benefit from a doula’s support than the number of people who currently choose to work with one.
If you’re kind of (or very) aware of what birth doulas are and how they help people during labor, we hope you’ll consider working with a doula for your own birth if/when the time comes.
But if you aren’t quite convinced about adding a doula to your birth team, here are 46 totally legitimate reasons to hire a doula that speak to different ways doulas can support expecting parents:
Definitely never saw this one coming, but: There’s a pandemic happening and your want someone in your corner to help you navigate the increased stress while you’re in the hospital (enter virtual doula support!)
Your friend/relative/coworker told you they had a doula and recommended you consider it too
Your friend/relative/coworker told you they didn’t work with a doula and wish they had
You want someone experienced, knowledgeable, and kind on your birth team who cares about your emotional experience
You’re wondering if you’ll know what to do during labor
You’re wondering if your partner will know what to do to help you during labor
You want your partner to have support so they can also take care of their own needs during labor
Your partner wants to work with a doula so they can be more relaxed during your labor
You’ll be laboring without a partner and don’t want to be alone
You’re worried about having your wishes respected during labor and after birth
You want someone in the room who knows what’s normal, what’s not, and can offer suggestions
You’ve read the positive statistics around doula support
You’ve heard things about what doulas do and it sounds like something you want
You want someone to help you understand your options before, during, and after birth
You’re planning a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)
You’ve heard that parents are often left alone during labor and you want someone else with you
You want help during labor from someone who won’t get their feelings hurt if you use a few choice words
You’ve been through pregnancy loss and want extra emotional support during labor
You have a history of trauma and know you’ll want extra support during labor
You’re birthing in a hospital and medical stuff is a trigger for you
You plan to labor without medical pain management and want help coping with contractions
You plan to labor with medical pain management and want help encouraging labor to progress
You plan to labor with medical pain management and want help managing possible epidural side effects
You plan to labor with medical pain management and want help avoiding what you’ve heard described as a “cascade of interventions”
You’re not sure if you want to labor with medical pain management and you want help figuring that out
You’re planning to birth by cesarean and want extra emotional support before, during, and after your baby’s birth in the OR
You worked with a doula previously and had a great experience
Your previous birth(s) didn’t go the way you’d hoped and you want more help this time around
Your previous birth feels like a long time ago and you’re worried about doing it again
You and your doctor don’t exactly see eye to eye and you want extra support making decisions and asking questions
You want help understanding what to expect during labor
Friends/relatives will also be at your birth and you want someone there to help them understand what’s going on
Friends/relatives will also be at your birth and you’re pretty sure it will make you more anxious
Friends/relatives will also be at your birth and you want someone who can help with crowd control/bouncing if needed
You’re wondering if you’ll know what questions to ask in the moment
You’re taking a childbirth class but you’re afraid you won’t remember things when the time comes
You’re not taking a childbirth class and you want guidance in the moment
Your doctor or midwife recommended you work with a doula
You have a high-risk pregnancy and want extra support during pregnancy and birth
You’re birthing at home and want help getting through labor before your midwife arrives
You’re birthing at a hospital or birth center and want help getting through labor at home before heading to your birth place
You’re giving birth in a hospital and want someone to help translate the medical lingo
You’re giving birth in a hospital and want a more holistic, person-centered experience so you don’t just feel like a number
You’re giving birth in a hospital and are worried about getting through the first hour or two after birth
Your FSA/HSA will reimburse you for a doula so why not?
You want a point person you can talk to during pregnancy and postpartum that isn’t a friend or relative or Facebook moms group
You’ve heard that doulas have recommendations for other resources you might want/need during pregnancy and postpartum
If you decided you want to work with a birth doula and want some help understanding doula pricing, check out this blog post.
