As a new doula, you might be wondering if families know if doulas are worth the cost. After all, if people are unsure about the cost of doulas, can you build a successful doula business?
Part of training as a doula is developing business skills. One important aspect of that is being able to explain that doulas are worth the cost. Community education is an important part of aiding in improving birth outcomes. When growing families use doula care, they have improved birth outcomes.
Are Doulas Worth The Cost or Are Doulas a Luxury?
While doulas can seem expensive and require a financial investment, when we market ourselves as a luxury, we overlook our immense benefit. Sure, it sounds luxurious to have extra support. However, given how important birth is and the climate of modern maternity care, doulas are invaluable.
As doulas, we provide invaluable:
- Emotional support
- Physical Support
- Education
- Support in informed decision making.
- Evidence-based support
- Prenatal and postpartum support
- Practical support
And more! Research shows that continuous labor support, like that of a professional doula, reduces the risk of c-section and other interventions. Continuous labor support increases the likelihood of a positive birth experience as well.
We cannot promise specific birth scenarios and outcomes. However, we can promise continuous, empowering support to help clients feel cared for regardless of how birth unfolds.
Doulas Only Support Unmedicated Birth
A common misconception, and why some families are hesitant to hire doulas, is they erroneously believe doulas are for unmedicated births only.
However, professional doulas support all types of birth. From planned homebirth with a qualified midwife to a schedule c-section or induction, doulas support everyone. In fact, needing or desiring a more medicalized birth can make hiring a doula even more important.
Doulas provide personalized support in a respectful manner to help everyone birth with dignity. A core belief of professional doulas is that everyone deserves to give birth in a dignified and supported way while being able to make informed decisions.
Doulas help ensure clients learn about their birthing options prenatally. They provide education and information so they can make informed decisions should they need or desire medical interventions.
Whether a client wants a doula to help avoid an epidural or to help navigate side effects of a medicated birth, doulas have a lot to offer.
Are Doulas Worth The Cost When You Have Hospital Staff?
While midwives, nurses, and OBs provide an important role during birth, many parents are surprised by how little hands on time the providers have. While hospital staff are very involved, their priority is the health and safety of the birthing person and baby. They need to focus on heart tones, progression of labor, vital signs, and more. In addition to that, they have to chart everything while monitoring multiple patients.
It is not that hospital staff isn’t amazing and hands on when they can be. It is simply that most staff are extremely busy with multiple patients. Outside of clinical tasks and the pushing phase, many families spend much of labor alone. Even in homebirths, the midwives and assistants are often busy with clinical matters, charting, and ensuring safety.
For a doula, your only role is to that client. Your focus is on that client. You provide truly continuous labor support with your focus solely on their experience and ensuring they feel cared for. Your responsibility is not to monitor clinical things so your focus is on client comfort and care.
Are Doulas Worth The Cost When You Have a Supportive Partner?
While partners play an essential role in supporting mothers during childbirth, they may also benefit from the presence of a doula.
Doulas provide:
- specialized knowledge
- experience
- expertise in childbirth support techniques
- positioning
- comfort measures
- emotional guidance
All of which support the partner in also supporting the birthing person.
By relieving partners of the pressure to fulfill multiple roles simultaneously, doulas allow them to focus on being present. With less stress, partners can be more supportive and connected during the birth. It relieves the pressure for the partner to magically become a birth expert.
While every birth is unique, and every birthing person’s needs vary, doulas are worth the cost for many families. With individualized support, proven to be an evidence-based resource, doulas can help families have positive birthing experiences. As you jump into your doula career, rest assured you are worth the investment!
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification. She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report, Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...