Feb 13

Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.

“Why Do You Need To Pay For A Doula…”

“Why do you need to pay for a doula? We will tell you everything that you need to do.” -OB

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There are 14 comments to this post.

Tracy had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:13 pm (Quote)

You may be more than willing to tell me what I “need” to do, but I need someone there to help me get what I WANT out of my birth. Not what YOU want. What I want. Me.

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Heather P had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:14 pm (Quote)

News flash doc. Doulas don’t tell moms what to do.

Are you going to stay with the mom for hours on end and not just to catch?
Rub her back?
Dance with her during her contractions?
Pay any attention at all to the dad?
Meet with her for longer than two minute sessions before the birth?
Do anything but tell her that she’s not progressing fast enough?
Talk with her about the risks and benefits of various interventions?
Support her at home before she leaves for the hospital?
Call her by her first name and not refer to her as the generic “mom”?
Reassure her when she needs it?
Be patient and not expect her to be a patient?

Jeez, I know doulas are not for every one but I don’t think people realize what all they do.

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Amy Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 6:14 pm Amy(Quote)

Yeah…what she said ^^ : )

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Sheva Reply:
February 14th, 2010 at 3:24 am Sheva(Quote)

Or the generic ‘sweetie’? I HATE the sweetie.
(Usually from the nurses. They write their name on a little whiteboard… I’m going to start writing the Mom’s name there, too!)

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Michele Reply:
February 14th, 2010 at 3:03 pm Michele(Quote)

That is a great idea! I think with my next mom in labor, I will do just that!

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Patrice had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:14 pm (Quote)

Why do I need to pay a doctor to TELL me what to do or impede what comes naturally to me?

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Jill had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 4:15 pm (Quote)

And that’s exactly why she needs one, doc.

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Lindsey Carr-Ruck had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 6:05 pm (Quote)

Why do you need to pay for an OB? Choose a homebirth midwife and she will help you make your own choices about YOUR birth.

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Carrie had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 7:01 pm (Quote)

Cause a doula’s gotta pay the bills, too!

AND she’s not going to order you around, feed you a bunch of crap and lies and make you feel like your body is defective!

I *heart* my doula!

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TheFeministBreeder had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 7:03 pm (Quote)

I hired my doula at 37 weeks pregnant when it became obvious to me, Doc, that you “telling me what to do” would result in a repeat cesarean if I didn’t do something else to stop it.

Thank you, my dear Doula, for my VBAC.

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Usha had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 7:09 pm (Quote)

Funny how he managed to answer his own question in the question.

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Amber had this to say, Feb 13, 2010 @ 9:29 pm (Quote)

Clearly, I need a doula because I don’t want someone else telling me what I ‘need to do’, I want someone to respect what I ‘want to do’. Guess what, Doc, your feelings matter less than mine when I’m the one giving birth!

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Sheva had this to say, Feb 14, 2010 @ 3:21 am (Quote)

Because I want someone there telling me what I *need to KNOW*. And you, doc, certainly won’t.
Also, I’m not so sure I *NEED* to do all those things you’re saying.

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