Positive Stories of Natural Birth With no Doula

[Mimzy3]

Hi Ladies

Looking for some encouragement. I have a midwife and we are all set on doing a water birth. As long as no unforeseen complications don't arise. I have done a lot of reading. Ina Mays Guide to Child Birth, Hypnobirthing, and now reading Birthing From Within. DH is reading The Birth Partner. And we are taking a child birthing class at the hospital which I will be delivering at.

My concern is I don't want to hire a doula. I just want it to be an intimate time with me and my husband. I'm just hoping I'm not being unrealistic in my goal to have this natural child birth without a doula?

 

[SparkleUK]

Hi!
I'm from uk so we don't really have Doulas. I had a natural birth in hospital using natal hypnotherapy. My baby was born in 4 hours using gas and air. It was a wonderful experience, and things went exactly how I wanted it to go thank god!
I used visualisation and breathing techniques plus water. I was in the bath for 2 hours however as my baby was back to back I felt more in control when pushing to be squatting on a bed. The water was so helpful during contractions though.
My mother was my birthing partner and my boyfriend was present although isn't good with pain and blood!
My mother having read all my books and watched the DVDs was excellent. I don't think you will need a doula as long as your husband is prepared and supportive which I'm sure he will be!
Good luck!!!

 

[MindUtopia]

I did have a doula (technically, though she was pretty useless), but I definitely would have been fine without her and don't plan to hire a doula next time. My doula was late getting there because she'd gone on holiday when she should have been on call for me (like I said, pretty useless!). She barely made it from the airport to my house in time for me to start pushing. She did help a little bit with helping me focus and vocalise better during the pushing stage, but that's all she did and I would have figured it out on my own. I laboured pretty much alone (with my husband checking in occasionally) from the start of labour until I was fully dilated and starting to push (that's when the midwives arrived and then doula about an hour after them, my daughter was born about 3 hours later). I much preferred being on my own too and found it a bit weird with so many people in the room. Since my doula didn't do much besides sit there and stare at me, it was too many people in the room and just generally distracting. You absolutely can have a natural birth without a doula. Actually, if you're in the U.S. midwives there do a lot more in the way of support and coaching than I think midwives here tend to as they are used to only really attending natural/home births, whereas here, midwives attend all births and (in hospital) might have more than one going on at a time (like an OB would in the U.S.), so you don't get as much one-on-one support. Sounds like you have a very supportive midwife, so I wouldn't have any concerns about whether you can do it, especially since you're doing hypnobirthing. I did a similar method and it was great (one of the reasons why I didn't really need too much additional support). Just trust yourself and know you can do it because you can.

If it's helpful, my birth story is below. Obviously, I did have a doula, but since she didn't do much, it might give you an idea of how a birth might go without one. I had a home birth, just using a TENS machine and hypnotherapy and it was a really positive experience.

 

[Smiler82]

I've never heard that you need to have a doula if you're having a natural birth. If you don't want one, don't have one! I'm planning a natural birth at home and it will just be me, DH and the midwife x

 

[Mimzy3]

Thank you for the responses ladies!

I'm feeling more confident that I CAN do it without a doula.

 

[Smiler82]

Yeah, course you can! You go

 

[Dtswife]

WE're in thre US with baby number 1, and we're having a home birth with no doula. Just me, DH adn 2 midwives, who, as I understand it, will serve as birth attendant AND labor companions, so really, no need for a doula. Which I wouldn't have anyway, TBH, only want DH.

 

[lynnikins]

my last birth was just me and DH , no MW's no Doula, No Doctor and the Paramedic and EMT's showed up about 10min after the birth, was calm and relaxed ( as much as birth can be ) and i loved it. Id love another BBA and if it weren't for wanting to use the pool then id be considering freebirthing as it is with the pool i want the security of a MW there incase DH is occupied too much with the pool

 

[Mimzy3]

Yeah I was hoping my midwife would sort of service as a birth attendant too. She said she would be there as much as I wanted her to be or would leave me and my husband alone more if we wanted that too.

I plan on staying at home as long as I can before going to the hospital.

 

[Feronia]

Hi! I had a home water birth and read the books you are talking about as well. I found them to be very good preparation for a natural birth and did not end up using a doula. My husband and midwife both provided fabulous support so I didn't feel like I was missing out. I have a positive home birth story in my sig!

 

[Mimzy3]

Feronia

thank you for sharing!

 

[BunnyN]

The last thing I wanted was another person there! My OH was very supportive and I felt like my MW was on my wave length which helped. She spent a lot of time staying out of my way which I was grateful for, as I found it easier to concentrate and relax when on my own or just with OH. She was there when I needed her though. If I had a MW with different veiws to me or was in hospital I can see how it might be nice to have someone else on your side but I would have just found a doula got in the way. I had a wonderful HB experience.

 

[Blah11]

I wouldn't want a doula either. Im quite headstrong know my rights and know bwhat I want so wouldn't feel like I need support in that way and I have my mum and oh for emotional support. I feel a doula would be redundant and just another body in my case.

 

[Pearls18]

I personally do not feel the need for a doula, I totally understand why other women feel supported by and want them, but I had a lovely 4 hour labour with DH and 2 midwives (only 1 was hands on though) and I feel more than confident that DH and I can manage alone with a midwife, I feel a doula would just get in the way, for us personally.

 

[tinytabby]

We didn't want a doula - it was just me, oh and 3 midwives (one midwife at a time but 2 were there right after the birth.)

A friend of mine had a doula and she was useless - kind of freaked out and had to sit down so she didn't faint. She was supposed to be the mothers voice in the delivery room but she didn't do any advocacy!

 

[ThinkPositiv]

I had a natural drug free hospital birth with no doula. I never gave it any thought. Looking back the staff were immensely supportive and guided me through the unknown world of child birth. I had a great experience. You can totally do it.

 

[mrstrouble]

I did it without a doula and was just fine. Glad I didn't waste the money!

 

[MrsSmartie]

I never even considered it. As a midwife I personally have never attended a birth with a doula present, it is very unusual in the uk (and mws will often say that they have had dangerous experiences with very pushy doulas who are battling to promote the normality when actually there is now a danger to mum/baby and have no clinical understanding...) I'm sure many are a great support if you do not have a birth partner who can support you well or help you stand up for you birth choices but most mws are very good at promoting normality as long as it is safe, we love normal birth! I would not worry at all about not having one. For me personally, it was a special moment that was for DH and I only, I did not want anybody else there. Although they have all watched the DVD since! Haha.

 

[Mervs Mum]

There are lot of birth stories without doulas on www.HomeBirthersAndHopefuls.com

Yes it's true that large clinical studies have shown the presence of a doula decreases the risks in childbirth (50% less CS, 60% less epidural requests, shorter labours, more satisfied mums and 40% less forceps to name a few) but its really down to the individual. I AM a doula and while I'd definitely have one for any future births so my hubby was freed up to support me and she could take care of practical things and ensure I had support when I didn't necessarily want mws present, I myself had 2 very positive 'perfect' natural births, one at home without a doula

 

[TicToc]

I had a great natural birth at a hospital with no midwife, doula, or any preperation on breathing, hypnobirthing or anything. I plan to do it again with an OB at the hospital, but this time I am going to research hypnobirthing (and everything else LOL) just in case. I was pretty niave back then, the natural childbirth was on accident, it just worked out that way. This time I actually care. I think it can be done just fine as long as you have an OB/midwife who respects you and have a coach you really trust and who isn't afraid on confrontation if it comes to that. I know from experience DH is awesome in the delivery room he will keep me focused and won't let anyone mess with me!