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Why I’ll Never Labor Without a Doula
My mom had epically long labors. She labored 28 hours with me and 32 hours with my younger brother. When I got pregnant with my first son in 2016, I figured I was in for an equally long labor. I have a high pain tolerance, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle being in labor for as long as my mother was. While doing some research, I stumbled upon the term doula.
So, what’s a doula? A doula is a person, almost always a woman, who provides emotional and physical support during pregnancy, throughout labor, and postpartum. A doula might help you create a birth plan, talk to you about breastfeeding, and offer suggestions on ways to prepare for your new baby. During labor, the doula will stay with you and provide support both physically and mentally, or answer any questions you might have about interventions and procedures. Doula’s also offer postpartum care such as light house cleaning, helping you adjust to life at home with the baby, or just letting you sleep while they hold the baby.
When I talked to my husband about the idea of getting a doula, he wasn’t sure if it was a great use of our money. The vast majority of insurance carriers do not cover the cost of a doula, leaving you to pay for it out-of-pocket. My husband and I both have athletic backgrounds, so I convinced him that we were paying for a “coach”. He got on board with the idea after…
