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Why we decided to have a doula:
Having had my first baby in hospital a couple of years ago, there were certain things that I hoped would be different the second time around. I definitely felt that my husband and I could benefit from some additional support during the first stage of labour i.e. before the obstetrician arrives to deliver the baby. When our first baby was born the midwife on duty was running between us and another patient who'd come in at the same time as us – and I didn't want a repeat of that. I think it was a case of either opting to have a midwife deliver our baby or have doula support but keep our obstetrician. We opted for the latter. Our obstetrician was quite comfortable with our decision to have a doula present.
How we chose our doula:
Most importantly, our doula needed to support the hypnobirth that we were preparing for and Lana, our doula, came recommended by our hypnobirthing instructor. We met her, and I felt confident that she would be totally supportive of the hypnobirthing process.
Our experience and the benefits:
Lana took control of many of the little things that contributed to making my labour easier. Her experience with birthing meant she just seemed to know what was needed without being asked. She was the one who offered me a hot water bottle, and a lavender scented cloth to wipe my forehead. She talked me through the surges using the hypnobirthing visualizations and gave wonderful back massages.
We were asked shortly after the birth, whether having a doula present undermined my husband's role in the birth. That was not our experience. Their contributions were different, but equally important and I certainly couldn't have done it without him. I think that the benefit to him was when it came time for baby to be born, he was thinking clearly and could experience the birth fully, appreciate the moment, cut the cord etc.
I do believe that having a doula present gave me peace of mind until the obstetrician arrived, it meant that I could focus solely on birthing my baby with the quiet reassurance that my every need was being met, and my husband was free to experience the birth in his own way without feeling he had to be doing something all the time or worrying what had to be done next.
Would I recommend it:
I would definitely recommend having doula support, specifically to those women who are not having a private midwife. I believe that our doula (together with our obstetrician) was really instrumental in enabling us to have the birth experience we hoped for. However, I guess it's a personal thing. It worked for us.
