Great answers mums .. i love reading the answers

So what did you end up doing?

If you think you will need the extra support than do it for your own peace of mind

did you end up getting one?

I think a doula is a good idea if your partner isn’t going to be there or you don’t trust he won’t pass out and need to leave anyway

Did you end up using a doula?

Did you end up getting a doula?

It is really up to you if you feel you need one, for me I didn’t feel I needed one.

What did you decide? Did you end up getting a Doula?

Thatnks for the note lynsevao

Lots of great info there from rach! A-Edwards if you read below rach has fully explained what a doula is

What is a doula? I never heard of it??

Hope that information helps with making your decision also if you have family member or close friend to go in with you I think that’s the best support tell your partner to be there for you too and good luck

What’s it like to have support from a doula during labor?

Everyone’s experience is different, of course, but here’s one woman’s story of a doula-assisted labor:

“Hiring a doula is like hiring somebody who’s there just for you. When I went into labor, our doula met us at the hospital. Eighteen babies were born in the hospital that day, so our labor and delivery nurse was quite happy to have someone else there to provide emotional support and help make me more comfortable.

“Having the doula gave me enormous confidence, plus it took the pressure off my husband. He was able to relax and enjoy the experience. The doula showed him some acupressure techniques he wanted to try.

“She locked eyes with me and helped me breathe through my contractions, making suggestions about moving around and trying different pain management techniques. She could read my body signals perfectly, and knew when I was in transition (when I got sick, a pan magically materialized). She helped me remember to drink fluids and communicate my needs to the nurses.

“When it was time to push, the doula put warm washcloths on my perineum and locked eyes with me again, which was absolutely critical.

“I couldn’t have done it without her. She made me fearless, and the lack of fear is what gets you through the pain without drugs. I had complete confidence in her. If I had been looking at my husband and saying, ‘Help me through this,’ it just wouldn’t have been the same

What are the advantages of having a birth doula?

A doula helps you before labor and delivery by answering your questions about what to expect, easing your fears, helping you develop a birth plan, and generally getting you ready for the arrival of your baby.

Birth Plan Worksheet

Learn about your options for labor, birth, and after, and make your wishes clear.

During labor and delivery, a doula provides constant, knowledgeable support. She can make suggestions about positions during labor, help you with breathing through contractions, and provide massage. She can also answer questions you and your partner have about what’s happening.

It’s impossible to predict or control how birth and labor will go. Will you connect emotionally with your labor and delivery nurse, and will she have time for you? How will you react to the pain? Will you have a swift delivery or a long, drawn-out labor? How will your husband or partner hold up under the pressure?

Faced with these uncertainties, many women find enormous reassurance in having a doula by their side. Research has found that women who have continuous one-on-one support during labor tend to use pain medication less often, have slightly shorter labors, and are less likely to have a c-section or a forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery. In fact, if you’re serious about trying to give birth without pain medication, a doula may be your best ally.

Women who have continuous support are also more likely to report being satisfied with their birth experience. One theory is that mothers who have continuous support produce lower levels of stress hormones during labor than women left alone or attended by inexperienced coaches.

If you’re seeing a midwife in a low-volume hospital practice, or planning to give birth at a birth center or at home, you’re likely to have continuous one-on-one support from your midwife.

If you have your baby at a hospital, it’s likely to be a different story — and hiring a doula may be the only way to make sure an experienced coach will be with you throughout labor.

In a typical hospital setting, doctors and some midwives don’t stay in the room with you continuously during labor. Labor-and-delivery nurses often have to split their time between several patients, and they come and go according to their shifts.

What’s a doula?

A birth doula is a trained labor coach who assists you during labor and delivery. She provides you with continuous emotional support, as well as assistance with other non-medical aspects of your care.

Doulas charge several hundred to a thousand dollars for their services, which are seldom covered by health insurance. Some, however, are willing to work on a sliding scale based on your ability to pay. A few pioneering hospitals even provide doulas to laboring patients who want them.

You can also hire a postpartum doula to come to your home after the birth to help you settle in with your new baby.

Only do this if your not got a support person to go with you. I dot know about in nsw but in Qld the nursing staff are brilliant. If you have the moneyed spend get a cleaner or something like that for when you get home. Good luck

If you don’t have anyone for support get a doula, I didn’t need one as I had my husband the whole way through my pregnancy.

It does sound like avery good idea

I never had one, but have heard great things about using one