Are doulas worth the investment? Yes. Here are 5 reasons why!

Every family that I talk with is asking themselves and one another the same question, 
Are doulas really worth the investment? 
Several months ago, I wrote a blog post about the cost of doulas in Cincinnati (which you can read here). 
Today, I want to follow up this post up with 5 reasons why doulas are absolutely worth the investment! Of course, I'm a doula, so you could say that I'm more than a little biased... but that's okay! I've also given birth three times and utilized doulas for the last two births and wish I had for my first! 
Read on to find my reasons why hiring a doula is worth the investment... 

Disclaimer - I am referring to my own services. There are so many amazing doulas in the area. It's important to ask questions when interviewing doulas, such as what their experience is and how much time they include in their service offerings.  

5 Reasons why hiring a doula is worth the investment. 

1. Birth experience, skills and knowledge 
When you hire a doula, you're hiring an birth professional. I've been a doula since 2012. For the majority of this time, I've gone to 2-4 births per month and have attended hundreds of births of all varieties over the years. (I need to pause  here and just say how amazing my job is and what an honor it is to do this work!) 
As things come up in your pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, they may be new to you but chances are that I've heard of them, researched them, and walked this path with another family before.
As your birth doula, I can help  you with what questions to ask your care provider and help you navigate your options. I've spent thousands of dollars in training and countless hours researching all things birth. With every single birth I attend and each training that I take, I am investing in my clients and increasing my skills and talents! 

2. Prenatal time together 
At our prenatal visit(s), we spend time together getting to know one another in your home. We may talk over your birth options, birth preferences, what you as a family can do to prepare for the birth. We talk about when to call me and when it's a good time to head in to your hospital or birth center. As your doula, I'm open to communication by call, text, or email anytime for you, from the time of hire. I'm an open book, ready to talk about whatever comes up...whenever you need! 

3. On-call time
As your doula, I'm on call from the time of hire. That means that when labor begins, whenever that is (at 36 weeks or 43 weeks, from 12pm to 12am), I'm going to get all of my ducks in a row and head your way in a timely fashion as soon as you feel that you're ready for support. Being on call is really, really hard. All of my life's plans are followed up with my saying, ''So long as I don't get called to a birth.'' This means that last minute cancellations, long stints away from my family, and limited ability to travel are all things that I've accepted as part of my life (and I wouldn't have it any other way). 

4. Time and energy at the birth 
Let me just say, as doulas, we never know how long labor will last. So when I show up to your home or place of birth, I'm preparing to be there anywhere from a couple hours (hardly ever), to 24 hours. I'm in it for the long haul! 
​
During your labor and birth, here's a list of things I could be doing: 

• Affirming you (You're doing a great job,'' ''You can do this.'' ''You're amazing.'' ''This won't last forever.'' ''Just one at a time'.' ''Breath down to and relax your pelvic floor.'')
• Rubbing your back
• Squeezing your hips
• ​Offering suggestions on position changes
• Parking your car 
• Carrying your bags
• ​Helping you communicate with the nurses and staff 
• Setting the birth room up (lighting, scents, music, etc) 
• Holding a washcloth on your forehead
• Smiling when you or your partner need it most
• Wiping your brow and reminding you to relax your body between contractions
• Positioning the squat bar
• Holding a rebozo or sheet while you push 
• ​ Reminding your partner to tell you they love you and you're beautiful
• ​Going to get food for you and/or your partner 
• Fixing your pony tail 
• and sooo much more! ​

Throughout the whole birth experience, once you call for support, I'm there for you, doing whatever needs to be done. 

5. Partners LOVE having a doula
Now, you might think, ''My  husband can do many of those things'' when reading the list above. But let me tell you, I've been told time and time again, Partners love doulas just as much, if not more, than Moms do! We provide a continuous, comforting face and person to talk to throughout the process. As a doula, I help you navigate a world you may have never been in before... the birth world! It's kind of like having an experienced tour guide or a wedding planner. I know the ropes and can anticipate what is coming next and can help you prepare for each step along the way. 

2 Bonus reasons to hire a doula

My doula bag was once referred to by a client as a “Mary Poppin's Bag.'' My bag is actually a beautiful woven basket, a gift from a client, and includes several sheets of birth positions, birth affirmations, essential oils, a rebozo, LED candles, and more! This bag is brought to each of my prenatal visits and of course, to the birth... where I use my tools to help make your birth space more comfortable... 
Also, I take pictures! Now, these are not professional photos. I have a DSLR camera and have been doing this work for 5 years. I know what shots to get and which angles to shoot from but I always take pictures using Auto settings...and I never edit. 
Even still, families LOVE these simple, candid photos. ​

So there you have it, (more than) 5 reasons that hiring a doula is worth the investment. 

I can't imagine you're still skeptical, but if you still are... let's chat! Reach out to me today!

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About the Author 

Molly Murray is a Cincinnati Birth Doula, Childbirth and Parenting Mentor, and the owner and founder of the Cincinnati Birth & Parenting Network