The True Value of Birth Doula Support: Why it's Worth Every Penny
Are you considering hiring a birth doula but finding yourself questioning the cost? You're not alone. Many parents-to-be share the same concerns: "Can we afford it? Is it worth the money? Why does it seem so expensive?" It's entirely natural to wonder about the investment you're making when considering doula services. In this blog, we aim to shed light on the true value of what doulas bring to the table, both in tangible and intangible ways, so you can understand why it's a wise investment in your childbirth journey.
The Support you See:
Extensive Knowledge and Expertise
Birth doulas are experienced and highly-trained. They possess a wealth of knowledge and expertise in childbirth and the postpartum period. They stay up-to-date with the latest evidence-based research and techniques, ensuring that they provide you with the most accurate and comprehensive information to help you make informed decisions about your birth experience.
Personalized, Compassionate and Non-Judgmental Support
Doulas understand that every pregnancy and birth journey is unique. Regardless of the type of birth you are hoping for, doulas are there for you, offering unwavering emotional support throughout the entire process. From answering your questions and concerns to providing reassurance during moments of uncertainty, they are dedicated to creating a safe and nurturing environment for you and your partner. They offer compassion, respect, and new perspectives, helping parents feel seen and heard during their unique journey.
Continuous Presence during Labour
Your birth doula, we will be by your side during labour, providing continuous support until your little one enters the world. They offer comfort measures such as massage, breathing techniques, and guidance in finding optimal positions to facilitate a smoother and more positive birth experience. Their goal is to ensure your physical comfort and emotional well-being throughout the entire labour process. Their unwavering presence ensures that you and your partner have a steady source of guidance, encouragement, and advocacy during the most critical moments of your childbirth experience. It allows your partner to have much needed breaks and offers the comfort of a familiar face.
Partner Support
Partners often feel unsure of how to help their loved one during labour. The process can be unfamiliar and seeing someone you care about experience discomfort can be tough. Doulas provide reassurance to partners and offer guidance so that they can confidently be involved throughout labour, offering the best support they can.
Communication and Guidance
Doulas are there to support your birth preferences and help facilitate effective communication between you, your partner, and your medical team. Our role is to empower you with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions while respecting your choices and desires. Doulas can guide you in asking questions and communicating your birth preferences so that they are honoured.
Immediate Postpartum Support
Doulas remain with you for a couple of hours following your baby’s birth. They are there to provide a familiar face and ensure that you are adjusting well and feeling supported. They will assist with infant feeding, breast or bottle, help you with your first shower following birth, and ensure that you get that much-needed post-birth snack.
Postpartum Follow-up
Birth doula services extend into the early postpartum period. Your postpartum follow-up offers valuable support as you navigate the challenges and joys of new parenthood. Whether it be debriefing your birth experience, breastfeeding/feeding support, newborn care questions, or providing emotional support and connecting you with local resources, birth doulas help you thrive during this important transition.
The Behind the Scenes Support :
One of the most challenging parts of doula work is everything that happens behind the scenes. The effort, time and sacrifice that it takes to support families through pregnancy, birth and early postpartum. Here are some of the ways your doula is supporting you that you may not have even realized:
On-Call 24/7 Support
When you hire a birth doula you're gaining a dedicated support system that's available to you 24/7. Babies doesn't adhere to a schedule, and being on-call means that your doula is ready to respond to your needs, day or night, whenever your journey begins. It means that your doula never knows when her work will begin or end. It means that your birth will be prioritized over important events like birthdays, children’s sports games, concerts, and even holidays like Christmas. It means that your doula almost always RSVP’s with the caveat of “Unless I’m at a birth”. Living on-call is not for the faint of heart and probably one of the least recognized parts of how hard birth work can be.
The schedule, or lack thereof
Birth doulas don’t have a set schedule and can work for up to 18 hours at a time in a physically and emotionally demanding role. They are committed to being by your side throughout your labour and delivery and providing invaluable, continuous support. They, never know how long they will be gone for which can be a very challenging dynamic, especially, for doulas with families of their own.
The Sacrifice of Sleep
Babies come at all hours of the day. Doulas often work overnight or go long periods without adequate sleep, which can definitely take a physical toll. It also means that when your doula goes home from your birth, she can’t just get back to other work and family life. She will likely need to rest and recover first.
The Emotional Toll
Doulas are there for your birth no matter what. They are there with you through whatever your experience brings. Seeing a lot of birth means you see a lot of emotions and it is impossible not to carry some of those emotions with you, even once the birth is over.
Travel Time
Birth doulas spend a lot of time in their cars! Beyond the hours spent at your side during labour, birth doulas also invest time in attending prenatal meetings and traveling to and from your birth location.
The Preparation
Behind every interaction with clients, doulas draw upon their extensive training, experience, and available resources. They invest time in reading, researching, and consulting other perinatal professionals to provide the best support possible. The time spent communicating with clients is just the tip of the iceberg, with a wealth of knowledge beneath the surface.
Continuous Learning
Doulas are committed to continuous learning, Completing countless hours of training and continuing education each year. This dedication ensures they stay updated on the latest practices and techniques, directly benefiting the families they support.
Overhead
Doulas are self employed, business owners which involves overhead expenses like credit card fees, parking, software, marketing, travel costs, and taxes in addition to the time they spend directly with clients. Doulas typically don’t have benefits like medical insurance or EI.
Did you know that the average career length for a birth doula is only 3-5 years?
Doula work is hard work with a high burnout rate. It is both physically and emotionally demanding. It requires an immense amount of flexibility in your schedule outside of your work and requires great personal sacrifices like missing events with the ones you love. Doulas often feel pressure to charge less but setting rates that reflect the actual value and investment of the work, allows their practice to be sustainable and is a necessity for staying in business. It can be tempting to find the cheapest price but when doulas are pressured to charge less, it is damaging to those who work in the doula community and to the families they serve. It makes the profession unsustainable if those doing the work are not making a living wage.
We hope this blog has helped shine some light on the value of the investment in birth doula services and why they are worth EVERY penny. The true value of birth doula support extends far beyond the fee. It's about investing in peace of mind, emotional support, and expertise during one of life's most significant events. It is the decision to have a dedicated and knowledgeable guide to navigate the complexities of childbirth. So, the next time you question the cost of doula services, remember that it's not an expense; it's a priceless, logical investment in your journey to parenthood.
Welcome Baby Co. is a Calgary-based company. We are happy to support all kinds of families through all kinds of birth and postpartum. Our goal is to prepare you for any scenario that may arise so that you can feel confident and empowered as you enter parenthood.
If you have any questions about Calgary birth doulas, Calgary postpartum doulas, breastfeeding support in Calgary or our Prenatal classes in Calgary, please contact us.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website/blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have.