What would you choose: homebirth at home with midwife but no doula or midwife birth at hospital... - Page 2

[IdentityCrisisMama]

I'd go HB for sure, though I never really got into the whole doula thing.  It's probably one of those "you don't know what you're missing until you try it" type of things but I (personally) don't feel a doula is necessary for HB.  

[Full Heart]

Most doulas have never even seen a hb because most hb mothers just don't need them.  I would, without a second thought, go with the hb.  I have had 6 and never hired a doula. 

[MidwifeErika]

I would choose a homebirth over a hospital birth w/doula. You could also ask the midwife if she knows of any doulas that you would be able to afford.

[BeanyMama]

Homebirth sans doula is my vote without a doubt! I've done it once and plan to again in a couple months- it was an amazing experience.

[mariacm]

HB with no doula, for sure!  You lose control of a ton of things in the hospital simply by being there and being forced/coerced to abide by their rules and protocols.  even with a doula, you are much more likely to have interventions and other things that may not be in your birth plan.

Your midwife will give you a lot of support at home while she's there.  I had a HB with no doula and that was fine.  DH was my support person anyway, but the MW and the birth assistant both provided labor support at different times also.

[redpajama]

Home birth.  I'm an apprentice midwife and we provide a lot of labor support when it seems wanted/needed.  Occasionally our clients also have doulas, but I often think that having a doula at the birth makes *our* job easier, but probably has little impact on the laboring woman, ultimately (not because her doula isn't helpful, but because we would have done much of the same labor support she did, if she hadn't been there).  

So I say hire a midwife you love and skip the doula or invite a friend to attend your home birth.  Most of what a doula does, in my opinion (and speaking as a doula) has less to do with knowing a lot about birth and more to do with being a sensitive and aware person who is committed to helping a woman through her labor.  Without a doubt, I've learned some "tricks" or whatever--that is, I've noticed certain things that are more often than not helpful/comforting to a laboring woman.  But, for the most part, it's about giving a person your full attention, and doing what you can to help them, and you don't have to be a "doula" to do that.