If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

I had a doula for my last covid baby and will have the same doula in May. It is easier for our family for DH to stay home with older siblings. The "catch" was DH didn't get to come. Only one "support person" was allowed. And they do like to change policies without warning. Make sure you are 100% clear on the policies. DH was hospitalized unrelated to this and his brother visited him for 15 minutes to drop off a gym bag of stuff then I wasn't able to visit him over the 5 day stay at all. They would not have allowed kids either.

No, because you can get an epidural.

I hired a doula, pre-pandemic, and she just wasn’t that great. Just sayin

Will the hospital allow it?

Yes absolutely.

Didn’t have a doula or my husband with me (he was home with our other kid). It was totally fine!

Nope

I’m due in February and I vote no. But then again I had one for my first and I just don’t plain want a doula this time around anyway so…

I am due in early Feb and decided against it with the current surge. I don’t want another person in the room and I’m worried the hospital won’t allow a second person and then I’m out the deposit money.

I wouldn't hire a doula before COVID, so answer hasn't changed lol.

I wouldn't only because during the worst of 2020 Covid several hospitals limited birthing people to one support person. I wouldn't want to pay for a doula and then have them not able to come.

Doula is a waste of money anyway so no.

Rapid test, make her wear the n95

Hoping that my baby comes in February and that things have subsided by then, but I am planning to possibly give birth next month and was just about to hire a labor doula. Now, I’m concerned about having another person in the room with us the whole time because I’d probably try to wear an N95 anytime it’s not just my husband and me, because of how transmissible this variant is. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to keep one on the entire time. I don’t want to leave the hospital with covid and pass it right on to my newborn, but I also really want a doula UGH. What would you do?