I have a midwife, aren’t you basically the same?

This is a common misconception, but no, doulas and midwives do not replace each other’s vital roles in birth. Midwives are health professionals, there to ensure the safety of you and your baby. Doulas are there to provide physical, practical and emotional support to the birthing person in labour and do not offer any medical advice.

When in labour do you support me?

I will join you in labour when you or your birth partner want me there and call me. I am there to make you feel supported and safe, so there is no wrong time to invite me to your birth. Most people invite me during early labour if it’s spontaneous, long before their LMC joins them.

I have a really solid birth partner, is a doula necessary?

Doulas don’t replace your birth partner any more than they replace the care of a midwife. Labour is a marathon, and you are building a team to support you in your journey. Your birth partner will be better able to have a guilt free break when they need if you have an additional support person to tag in. I can also guide them in appropriate comfort measures, affirmations and look after them too. Centering them is a crucial element in your care, and modern birth partners carry a lot of expectations with very little education or social examples to bolster them The more comfortable, hydrated, well rested and happy everyone in the team is, the better the birth outcomes will be.

Can I hire a doula instead of a midwife?

Some doulas may support unassisted births, but this is not currently something I offer. If you are planning to birth unassisted, I can attend in a photographic capacity only. Your birth is your choice, but any and all inquiries I have experienced regarding this consideration have asked for an ‘expertise’ that doulas simply cannot provide. Doula support alongside great midwifery skills are fully aligned with my values concerning the scope of my role, and allow me to provide you with the best care.

Does my insurance cover doulas?

Doulas are not medical professionals and are not included in health insurance policies. We are private entities that need to have very limited caseloads in order to authentically offer the level of care that makes doulas special or beneficial to the families we’re working for. Part of the investment is the exclusivity you can access compared to public maternity offerings.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes! It is extremely important to me that doulas be an accessible option to anyone who needs one. I try to be as flexible as possible and I am very happy to arrange a payment plan that suits your circumstances. Please message me with the service/s you are interested in and I can provide appropriate information.

I’m giving birth in a hospital with an epidural, how can a doula support me?

A well-rounded doula will have support skills that lend themselves to a variety of births. While they perhaps gained notoriety in ‘natural’ birth circles, all births have unique considerations that benefit from dedicated, wrap around support.

Even with an epidural in place, doulas have the know-how to help you have a better birth. This can be by way of companionship, position suggestions, fluffing pillows or providing information, massages for swollen feet etc

How do you take photos if you’re busy supporting me?

It is largely dependant on your expectations of my involvement and what is important to you, as to how many photos I can get and when. This is an ongoing conversation. Unless I am a sole support person, I can almost guarantee opportunity to take photos will be available. If the moments of your baby’s birth are important to have captured, we can prioritse this. However, a lot of people enlisting me as a doula say that if my hands are busy supporting them, would prefer I stayed where needed, and focused on pictures after baby’s arrival.

Can I have a refund if I end up having a Caesarean?

Benefits of a doula are not exclusive to how hard they work in labour. A lot of work, investment, time, energy, education and communication happen antenatally. We also do not guarantee any particular outcomes, and your medical care and decisions in pregnancy are out of our control.
Hiring a doula specifically for one type of birth is not the best reason to have one. Hiring a support person, means intending to utilise them across all settings and outcomes, and building a relationship that means they are someone you would like to have with you anywhere. My contract always offers supplementary postnatal visits or photos if your birth plan switches to a Caesarean without any labour.

What happens if I give birth out of your on-call window?

I will always make every effort to attend your birth at any gestation. If I am away and physically cannot get there, I will do my best to deputise someone else, but there are no guarantees. However, this is my full-time job and I am almost always on call for a baby at any given time and close to home. Supplementary photography or postnatal visits are offered in these situations. If your baby is very early, in NICU, or you are admitted to hospital, I will support you however I can over this period of time.