Anyone hired a doula??!

[hartmel]

I'm meeting mine for the first time on Monday.

How was your experience? Did you think it was a waste of money?
What kind of questions should I ask her (baby brain can't think of anything)?

Reason for thinking of hiring a doula is because we have a 12 month old DS. And we are one of those over protective parents that don't trust our kid to anyone DH family moved overseas, my family lives around the corner but they are always working and I don't agree on how they want me to raise my kid. So I don't trust them alone with my son..
Sometimes I think I should just for once let my mom watch DS while giving birth so that DH can be with me and we can save money for our kids! But then my mind thinks about the safety of my son. I don't know what to do!

I'm 35 weeks

I did. Best decision I ever made. It was definitely worth every penny. I interviewed 4 and clicked with two of those straight away, than chose the one who I knew would get to me quicker. She was actually a newly qualified doula so cost was slightly less, the lack of experience did not put me off at all.

Lots of questions about qualifications, experience, just have a general chat about getting to know each other. I wanted someone very supportive who respected my wishes and would make decisions for me in the room. She was with me for 12 hours and I still remember of her forcing drinks into me, holding the sick bowl, massaging my back, etc. She became a good friend after the birth and I see her every time I'm back in the country to visit (moved abroad 6m after the birth).

We had a doula with DD1, and I've already booked her for March when LO2 is due.

She was fantastic. We interviewed a few, and I chose this particular one as she didn't tell me what I should or shouldn't be doing, was very easy going, and wanted us to have the best birth we could. We went through loads of questions and what-if's together so that she could support us throughout labour.

At the actual event, she really did spend about 4 hours just rubbing my back (well, using her knees and elbows to get enough pressure), until the labour ward relented and gave me G&A, and then I had her on one side with the G&A and hubby on the other with drinks. She came into her own when I had a PPH and everything went a bit crazy with lots of people bundling into the room, and hubby was literally left holding the baby. She sat with him, helped him with the little one and calmed him down during what was a very frightening couple of hours for him. She stayed until I was taken to post natal ward.

The right person is worth every single penny IMHO, it's worth making the effort to interview several, and find one on exactly the same wavelength as you.

I've hired one, I'm due next weekend - I'll let you know how it goes!

So far though, we've had two antenatal meetings with her (in addition to NCT), and I feel a lot more prepared than I did before. In particular the bits that might go wrong - I've found that NCT didn't really go through any of that in detail, even though actually most people seem to have one thing that goes a bit pear shaped.

I've got her because I'm scared of hospitals (not of birth particularly), and can't have a home birth due to medical reasons. I want someone with me the whole time, who has done it lots of times before - partly for support for me, partly for support for my boyfriend (who may need help with me and my panic). I want to have lots of things explained all the time, and she can do that.

Another valuable thing I've done is attended aquanatal classes run by an independent midwife - she was really helpful with questions and book loaning.

You've got to do what's best for you.. I need information, so have armed myself with that, and in order to have reduced stress and experience with me, I think it's well worth the money.

Yes, we did. My DH is very funny with medical things and prone to fainting, so I was terrified of being effectively alone because he'd be out cold on the floor! He was willing to go along with whatever I wanted at first, but after he met her, he became really enthusiastic, she was such a reassuring person.

In the event, I was induced, so didn't labour at home at all. I had a really short labour and DH didn't faint. However, I don't regret the money at all - it made me far less worried about the delivery, we had some good antenatal sessions with her, and she got me the water birth I wanted when the midwife told me I couldn't have one. We would hire her again!