Since you are reading this, I assume you have decided that a doula is a good idea for your birth…read more But if you are unsure, let me help you - the answer is YES. Especially if this is your first baby, after going through it, doing it without a doula is simply unimaginable. More on why below.
Boulder and environs are not short on doulas as we learned when we moved here two months ago, seven months pregnant).
Boulder Doula's Circle was recommended to us by a friend, but we were hesitant at first - like many health providers, on the "big day" you do not know which of the three doulas you might end up with. What if we had a favorite or were not crazy about one of them? This is intimate family stuff after all.
However, after a 1:1 meeting and attending one of their monthly birth circle open houses at the Mamahood, we knew it was not just a case of being the "right fit" for us, but so much more. Suddenly we felt incredibly supported by these three very wise, very experienced, and very fun women. Each brings a unique set of skills to the table that will benefit you, not just on the big day, but throughout your pregnancy. Whether it was herbs, exercises, guiding us to other resources in the community, pre-natal home visits, or post-partum visits, Amanda, Rachel and April gave way more than we ever imagined. We were clueless, but by the time labor arrived we were super-educated, prepared, and confident. And the benefits of their support during labor cannot be overstated. Its difficult to express how grateful we are to these three.
Another aspect of the team-doula approach: you can't end up in a situation where your one doula is on vacation or at another birth, leaving you in the lurch. Or, if, heaven-forbid, you have a marathon labor, you can get a hand-off, where one of them will come in as relief.
A final thing to add - while we were on board with their approach, we saw other couples who had different ideas of what they wanted (or didn't want) and all three of the doulas were really non-judgmental and supportive. I suppose that in this world thats normal, but there was something genuine about it - its not that they were hiding what they really thought, but that they were truly not judging and wanted to do whats best for their pregnant mamas and their babies.
In this incredible, exciting, daunting process of starting a family, I cannot stress how great it was to have these three as counsel. If this sounds too good to be true, message me and Ill be happy to share more details of our experience.
Nikko