Oftentimes a birthing person will not know what a doula is until late in their pregnancy. Perhaps, you may have just read about a doula in your birthing book or found out about a doula in your childbirth education class. Or maybe you found out about a doula because you have a friend, relative, or know someone who had/or is a doula prior to your pregnancy.. Your knowledge may be great or small, depending on your background, but yet you are here reading about the doula investment and how having one present at your birth will benefit your birth experience.
The decision to have a birth support person is one not to take lightly, finding the perfect fit is necessary, so when you hire a doula, ask questions to ensure they are the right match for you. Some of the many benefits to having a birth support person present during your birth are :
Reducing the length of labor
Decreasing the need for pain medication
Reducing the need for a cesarean sections
Improved mother/infant bond
Increased breastfeeding success rate.
Improved satisfaction with the birth experience
As you can see having a doula attend your birth provides a very important key to the birth continuum, this addition to the community health care team, adds a positive impact to the birthing experience. Even though doula attended births are associated with positive outcomes, many birthing people still do not choose to have a doula at their births. In this case, the reason may be due to the lack of awareness of the benefits of having a doula. Another barrier to support might be the cost of hiring a doula, which can be seen as a significant investment.
Depending on the doula’s experience and the region where they practice, the cost can vary from $700 to over $2000 per birth attended. For some people, this cost may be seen as a stonewall to having a doula present during their birth. Many doulas will offer a sliding scale, or income based fee, or accept a payment plan. Another option is to find doulas who are newer to the “game” and will often work at a discount rate to gain experience.
Furthermore, if you compare the cost of a doula vs. the cost of other medical interventions, such as a cesarean section, the cost of a doula is a fraction of the cost of a major surgery. Let’s dig a little deeper, a cesarean section is a major surgery that carries a risk of complications. The cost of this surgery ranges from $5000 to $10000. In addition, this cost does not include the cost of any complications that may arise from the surgery or unforeseen delayed bonding, or additional recovery days.
Contrary to the cost of a c-section, the value of hiring a doula is a sound investment and choice that can bring the benefits of providing continuous support to assist you in reaching your birth goals.
Please don't let $$$ be a factor preventing you from having a doula present at your birth. Most doula's will work with you, the key is to ask your potential doula what steps are necessary to secure them for your birth. Happy birthing!
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