I had a doula last time--planned hospital birth though, which is why I wanted her. I ended up choosing her for the wrong reasons (experience rather than personally connecting with her) and even though some of her experience did come in helpful, she honestly bugged me for most of labor. So whether I wanted a doula this time or not I would not hire the same one again!
I opted to not get a doula this time. If I'd had a different experience the first time then I might have wanted one, but the truth was that in labor last time all I wanted was DH. My sister was there for a little while and I liked her a lot better than the doula but I still didnt' want her...she spelled off DH for a couple of breaks so he could eat or go to the bathroom or whatever, and I was always so relieved when he came back. Not that DH has any special training or experience with labor support, but it's just the existing relationship I guess
I happen to be planning a homebirth with a midwife that I feel very comfortable with, but even if I were going to the hospital here (which I did consider) I still don't think I would bother with a doula. Like I said though, I'm sure my initial experience has a lot to do with that.
In regards to your specific situation, I don't think it makes a difference whether you've given birth before or not, every labor is different and a doula can be invaluable (or utterly useless) at any given one, just depending on who she is and how you connect and what happens. Obviously labor is not predictable, so you have no way to know in advance whether you'll desperately want her at the time or not.
However, my initial impression from your post is that if money were no object you'd hire her without really a second thought, right? So in other words you would love to have her, but you're trying to figure out if you can get by without her because of the money issue? I would approach her and tell her that you're pregnant again and that you would love to hire her again but you're in a different financial situation and you're not sure if you'll be able to swing it. She might offer you a deal--I have several friends who are doulas and most of them will tell you they aren't in it for the money, and that they'll attend births pro bono (or at great discounts) just because they believe so much in women being able to have doulas. Alternately, she might be willing to work out some kind of bartering--especially if you have months over which to work this out, a lot of doulas barter things like babysitting their kids (possibly while they attend other births) or stuff like that. I bartered part of my doula's fee by doing some sewing for her.
Obviously I wouldn't bring it up to her in so many words "hi we're broke will you give me a discount?!" but if you express that you appreciated her last time, would love to have her, but aren't sure how to swing it at this point, then it leaves the door open for her to say "oh i'm sorry, that's too bad" or to make you some kind of offer. Regardless (especially if she is someone you might potentially ever run into socially) I think it's nice to let someone like that know that you're expecting again, because if she just ran into you in the store when you were all big and she knew you hadn't called/hired her that could be kinda awkward, you know?
I had a doula with ds and she was amazing. I cant picture not having a doula when giving birth. Having said that I am expecting again and I most def plan on using the same doula with this next babe. If I could I would have her at each of my future childrens birth but I am moving so it wont be possible after this lil one but I plan to use a doula for any future babies anyway. There are just too many benefits of using a doula to pass that up. (plus I happen to be a doula as well and have been told this by my clients as well)
