Are There Any Downsides to Having a Doula? Here’s the Honest Truth.

Let's be honest. If you're thinking about hiring a doula for your upcoming birth, you probably have a lot of questions. More questions that I could reasonably answer in a simple blog post.

But a lot of times, when we're researching a product or service, we tend to look at reviews first, right? Why? Because we want to know not just the good things people have to say, but the bad. And oftentimes, the bad reviews can be more helpful than the good!

So let's go through four things that Google said are the cons of hiring a doula...and let's see if we can't work through these a little.

1. Doulas can get in the way of (or replace) your partner. Doulas are there to help support not only the person giving birth, but their partner as well. We're there to enhance the relationship that you two already have! Doulas have a particular set of skills (anyone else just read that in Liam Nieson's voice?) which allow us to help facilitate the ways that you - the birthing person - need to be supported. Whether that's mental, emotional, or physical, we're there to make sure that you're being properly care for with and by your partner. I can't replace your partner; you've built a relationship that resulted in a baby! But what I can do is make sure that your partner feels as much of the process as they can or want to be.

   
   

2. Doulas can be expensive. Unfortunately, in the United States, doula services are still seen as "luxury expenses" by insurance companies so most doulas aren't covered by your health insurance. However, most doulas are also ready to work with just about any family's circumstances to make sure they get the support they need and deserve. Some doulas offer payment plans, sliding scales based on income, even gift certificates that family members can buy for you to go toward your doula support! And some doulas (like me!) can provide something called a "Super Bill" which you can submit to your insurance company to see if they're reimburse you. It's likely they won't, but it can't hurt to try! And the more people that submit claims for reimbursement, the more these companies will see that doula support is more a necessity than a luxury.
   

3. Doulas do not have as much training as OBs, midwives, or nurses. In some cases, that's true. But I'd also argue that we just have a different type of training. Yes, OBs, midwives, and nurses all have some type of med school training and that's a big freakin' deal! They are skilled in ways I probably won't ever be. But what I lack in medical training, I can more than make up for with my skills as a facilitator, negotiator, comforter, and all-around advocate. Remember: doulas are there for your mental, emotional, and physical support, comfort, and guidance. Your providers are there to ensure the health and safety of you and your baby.
   

4. Doulas might be inexperienced of unhelpful. Well, everyone starts somewhere, right? Eight years ago, someone took a chance on me, as a brand-new-never-supported-a-birth-before doula and it went GREAT! Just because a doula hasn't yet supported a birth doesn't mean you're going to have a crappy, unhelpful experience. (And going back to point 2, if cost is a concern, brand new doulas often offer their services at a discounted rate!) I've heard my fair share of "unhelpful doula horror stories" so yeah, it can happen. But this is where I'd say that it's important for you to ask as many questions as you can possibly think of when interviewing doulas. And once you've hired one, be sure to meet with, text, email, and call them as often as you possibly can! The more I can get to know you before your labor begins, the better I'm going to be able to support you and your partner once we're in the throes of it.

So there you go! Those are the four cons that Google came up with when it comes to adding a doula to your birth team! Hopefully that all helped, but if you have other questions or want to talk about what adding ME to you team looks like, shoot me a message!

XOXO,

Micah the pink haired doula