Has anyone used a doula?

[GinaFordAteMyBaby]

Hey.

This is my second pregnancy and I'm due at the end of July. I'd love to be be able to book an independent midwife but financially this just hasn't been an option. I'm starting to think that maybe I should engage a doula and was wondering what people's experience of this was and if they thought it was worth the money.

I'm a bit disillusioned with the support I've had so far from the NHS midwives I've encountered and the resistance I meet every time I want to do something that doesn't fit in with the routine way of doing things. I'm planning a home water birth, against recommendation as I had a PPH last time, and would like a physiological third stage with delayed cord clamping. I intend to put together a detailed birth plan but am starting to feel like I need someone in my corner. Of course I may end up with a lovely and understanding midwife on the day but then again I may not.

Yes, and I would have paid 10x her cost as she was blardy brilliant. My planned waterbirth in a standalone midwife led unit turned into a premature labour, continuous monitoring in the DGH one, and she was a wonderful advocate for me and sheltered me from the ever changing cast of midwives and their opinions. She knew me and my wishes (although I didn't have a birth plan), and was a source of comfort throughout. She was also the one that got me tea, a bath, and a wheelchair to go and see my DS in SCBU after

Yes and it was super. She shielded me from the fact that the MW were terrified (was a home birth and there was no reason for them to be scared except that they didn't seem to know much about natural birth). She also made my DH call the MW when she arrived and I was having contractions every 1.5 minutes, which was a good job or I think I would have given birth without a MW present!

i had a doula with my first birth and am due again at the beginning of August (just after you!) and have booked her again. She was wonderful!! I had a home waterbirth which was a bit of a mission in terms of getting support from midwives etc but having her around, and actually especially our antenatal chat sessions really helped me to work out what i would/wouldn't like and thinking through all the scenarios of what might happen, inc being transferred to hospital. More than anything, her presence during my looong labour (when the mw only popped in and out) was soo reassuring, not just for me but for my dh too.
I am hoping for another home waterbirth this time around if everything goes according to plan and really i couldn't imagine it without her being around! Its also reassuring to read CMOT's experience - i know i could rely on my doula in that kind of scenario too.
if you haven't looked yet, have a look at www.doula.org.uk for a list - and book soon as any that are local to you may well already be booked (they will "reserve" themselves for you from 37 weeks onwards).
All the best

mars lord vp doula uk london based is fab

oh yes, mine was marvellous and we had a lovely home water birth after many days in labour. Couldn't have done it without her. I think it took a lot of pressure off my husband too as my doula was very clear on my wishes and argued my case for me.

The midwives were ace too, mind you.

Also, I found that on the day the midwives who attended were very pleased to be doing a home birth even though my antenatal midwife was very sniffy and negative. She sent me to the hospital consultant to OK the home birth (iron and blood pressure were very low @ 35 weeks) and the consultant told me she had 3 of her 4 children at home and thought it was a great idea. Signed me off for the home birth straightaway.