Do I need a doula for a hospital birth?

I get this question a lot: “If I'm having a hospital birth, do I really need a doula?”

Honestly? No. No one needs a doula, just like no one needs GPS. You can probably get where you're going without one, after all, we somehow managed before we had smart phones or cars with built in navigation.

But here's why I think having a doula at the hospital can be really valuable:

You don't hire a doula because you know how your birth is going to go. You hire one because you don't.

I've been to births where everything is going beautifully. Baby looks great. Mom is doing great. Labor is moving along. Everything is pretty much textbook.

And then suddenly, it's not.

Maybe baby's heart rate changes. Labor stalls. An intervention is recommended. The birth plan starts looking very different than it did a few hours ago.

That's where I come in.

I'm not your medical provider, and I'm not there to tell you what decision to make. I'm there to help you navigate the situation.

I can help you and your partner understand what's happening, think through questions, stay involved in the conversation, and feel a little less overwhelmed when you're suddenly being asked to make decisions you didn't expect to have to make.

And sometimes, the support you need comes after the birth.

Because you can know a decision was the right one and still have complicated feelings about it.

You can be grateful for your care and still wish things had gone differently.

You can be so incredibly grateful that you and baby are healthy and grieve the birth you'd hoped for.

Birth doesn't have to go according to plan for you to have a positive experience.

So no, you don't need a doula for a hospital birth.

But if you want someone in your corner who can help you navigate-- no matter what happens-- no matter what detours or alternate routes you might find yourself on--- that's exactly what I'm there for.