My hospital had its own in house doula program that I used during COVID. It was great Bc my doula knew the providers and protocols and environment well, and was able to answer basic questions, amplify my concerns (bolstered me in rejecting an episiotomy; ended up with a totally manageable first degree year), and find medical providers when I needed them. I also paid less than with a private doula practice. I didn’t have a doula the first time around and was worried it would feel invasive, but it was actually very helpful. If that is an option where you are delivering, I would consider that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Depends on DH. Some of them cannot handle seeing their wife in pain. Some first time dads are totally clueless and mom is usually not at 100% herself. Some DH's can not be depended upon to push back against pushy OBs who are trying to steamroll the birthplan.

Oh please. Babies don’t follow a birth plan. It’s better thought of as a list of birth preferences should you be so fortunate as to have an uncomplicated birth and be able to choose from different options, not a plan. Birth by nature is unpredictable. And you should run from any birth teacher or doula who thinks your Ob wants to steamroll your “birth plan.” Nope, not a chance. Your Ob wants you to have a healthy baby and for you to be healthy, and no one to end up permanently injured or brain damaged or dead at the end of the experience. It’s the most dangerous day of a baby’s life. A doula has no business weighing in on the medical aspects.

Why do I feel like you're a nurse or even OB? Because while sure any decent OB wants these things, some absolutely all want things to be done in a way that makes it all as easy as possible on them, their staff, and facility.

Not even close. Mom of two. Hated my doula.

I had a doula at both of my births and I think you are pretty late. Both times I hired a coveted doula towards the end of my 1st trimester and both times my 1st choice was booked.

That said, my doulas worked with me several times before birth and helped me feel comfortable about the various ways labor could progress and the choices I may need to make. If I was unsure how many people could be in the room while I labored, I would have the doula do 1-2 sessions with me and my partner together to prepare us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Depends on DH. Some of them cannot handle seeing their wife in pain. Some first time dads are totally clueless and mom is usually not at 100% herself. Some DH's can not be depended upon to push back against pushy OBs who are trying to steamroll the birthplan.

Oh please. Babies don’t follow a birth plan. It’s better thought of as a list of birth preferences should you be so fortunate as to have an uncomplicated birth and be able to choose from different options, not a plan. Birth by nature is unpredictable. And you should run from any birth teacher or doula who thinks your Ob wants to steamroll your “birth plan.” Nope, not a chance. Your Ob wants you to have a healthy baby and for you to be healthy, and no one to end up permanently injured or brain damaged or dead at the end of the experience. It’s the most dangerous day of a baby’s life. A doula has no business weighing in on the medical aspects.

I am an MD and I fired my OB after the first visit because I thought he was an a-hole and went to midwives. 3rd time mom with more complicated than average pregnancy too and I still walked away from the OB. I had a SCH and I asked if I was cleared for physical activity and he said, "Women do bedrest because they want to feel important." He really pissed me off because my younger kid was over the 20lb lifting limited recommended by my IVF clinic and I had been lifting her and stressing about it for weeks. So yeah, if you have one of these a-holes walking into your room and your DH is a limp noodle, this wonderful example of medicine would have no problem being a a-hole and making your experience miserable and you would be regretting not having a doula.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Depends on DH. Some of them cannot handle seeing their wife in pain. Some first time dads are totally clueless and mom is usually not at 100% herself. Some DH's can not be depended upon to push back against pushy OBs who are trying to steamroll the birthplan.

Oh please. Babies don’t follow a birth plan. It’s better thought of as a list of birth preferences should you be so fortunate as to have an uncomplicated birth and be able to choose from different options, not a plan. Birth by nature is unpredictable. And you should run from any birth teacher or doula who thinks your Ob wants to steamroll your “birth plan.” Nope, not a chance. Your Ob wants you to have a healthy baby and for you to be healthy, and no one to end up permanently injured or brain damaged or dead at the end of the experience. It’s the most dangerous day of a baby’s life. A doula has no business weighing in on the medical aspects.

Why do I feel like you're a nurse or even OB? Because while sure any decent OB wants these things, some absolutely all want things to be done in a way that makes it all as easy as possible on them, their staff, and facility.

Doula no NCS yes times a thousand

With my first my doula sucked. But with my second the doula provided me a med free, almost pain free birth. I had a lot of trauma from my c section. I didn’t realized until I cried. So yes I would do it again. Covid or not. The recovery is 1000 times better.

^Adding the reality check I mentioned was she got me laughing and helped ease a situation where he had horrible coffee breath (we’d been up for two days). He slipped out to find a toothbrush. It was excellent comic relief which ended up helping with labor and eased our frazzled edges.

Anonymous wrote: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?

I’d check in with the hospital on their current covid policies and have a real discussion with any doula on what will happen if they are turned away day of birth. The hospitals keep changing the guidelines. I would expect that you would need to pay a deposit to hold the window around due date as they turn away other clients to hold that time for you. Most will negotiate that with you. I had a doula and she was invaluable, primarily to help my husband stay calm seeing me in pain, and to help me communicate better with staff. She was a good reality check for me when I was overtired and grumpy with my husband. Definitely interview several people and find a way to connect before birth, many offer childbirth education and it helps you get to know one another better and offers you a chance to request specific calming techniques.

As for the mask. It’s going to depend on surge. Some hospitals will require you wear mask no matter who is there. Find out your hospitals requirements.

I was pro doula until I had one. That’s a grand I will NEVER get back. Total waste of money to have a damn stranger at my birth echoing what my far superior L and D nurses were saying. In hindsight I wish I had asked my mom to come instead. I’m still bothered that this rando lady who really sucked basically interfered and witnessed the most intimate day of my life and took a thousand dollars from me
For the privilege while doing really nothing helpful. Waste. Of. Money.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Depends on DH. Some of them cannot handle seeing their wife in pain. Some first time dads are totally clueless and mom is usually not at 100% herself. Some DH's can not be depended upon to push back against pushy OBs who are trying to steamroll the birthplan.

Oh please. Babies don’t follow a birth plan. It’s better thought of as a list of birth preferences should you be so fortunate as to have an uncomplicated birth and be able to choose from different options, not a plan. Birth by nature is unpredictable. And you should run from any birth teacher or doula who thinks your Ob wants to steamroll your “birth plan.” Nope, not a chance. Your Ob wants you to have a healthy baby and for you to be healthy, and no one to end up permanently injured or brain damaged or dead at the end of the experience. It’s the most dangerous day of a baby’s life. A doula has no business weighing in on the medical aspects.

Anonymous wrote: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?

I would see the hospital would allow the doula and your spouse in the room with you at the same time. If not, I heard doulas virtually attend birth (not sure how helpful that is). But you might want to look into hiring a postpartum doula. I heard they can be helpful. They come to your home check out you and baby. Give you education on things (breastfeeding/bottle feeding, sleeping schedules, etc.). Some might do light housework. Watch the baby for you while you take a nap or take a shower. I just copied and pasted the below blurb from Doulas of Capitol Hill website. Good luck!

“ If We Hire a Postpartum Doula, What Should We Expect to Receive?

A good doula will help you figure out how much support you desire and determine the most helpful schedule to accommodate your needs either before your birth or anytime in the first 12 weeks postpartum. Daytime and overnight support are both available. Possible support includes but is not limited to: breastfeeding support, pumping/formula management, newborn care basics, babywearing, household chores, grocery shopping, meal preparation, companionship, sleep support, and sibling transitions. Postpartum support is also available for your hospital stay, which is often utilized in the case of a cesarean birth so the partner can also get some rest.”

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Depends on DH. Some of them cannot handle seeing their wife in pain. Some first time dads are totally clueless and mom is usually not at 100% herself. Some DH's can not be depended upon to push back against pushy OBs who are trying to steamroll the birthplan.

Anonymous wrote:If you desire an unmedicated birth a doula is essential IMO

Two unmedicated births with no doula here so this is definitely not true. That being said if you want a doula (I didn’t but I know lots of people find them helpful), I think you should look into it, OP, but try and find someone who will let you cancel if you decide the Covid risk is too great or the hospital policy won’t allow you to have the doula and your partner. Best of luck to you!

Just make sure your contract has a 100% refund policy on the deposit.