The Value of a Doula

Earlier tonight I wrote a response to a viral article that was not only circulating the internet, but also my online communities of Doulas. A gentleman wrote an article about the things in life that you should never pay for - and included Doulas alongside cardboard boxes and water. It was offensive to say the least. While I didn't have time this week to write him immediately, I got around to it tonight. I hope you'll take a moment to read my thoughts on the value of doulas and why they are so worthy of being included and being paid. 

The link to his article is at the end of this post. Feel free to leave him a comment if you want to support a doula in your life. 

Light, Love + TGIF,

Ali

Hi Len,

I recently read your post, 18 Things You Should (Supposedly) Never Pay For. 

I am reaching out as I was disappointed to see that you included Doulas on your list and was even more troubled by the misinformation about them. I totally understand that the piece had a humorous tone and agree with a lot of the humor and the content, but I must tell you that reading #8 felt terrible. While I am sure your intent wasn't to belittle me or the many women for whom this is the way they find joy in their lives and put food on their tables, the tone of the article made it feel very personal and degrading. 

First, Doulas are not things like water and diapers and cardboard boxes. With the exception of Real Estate agents - all others included on your list are things. 

The vast majority of Doulas are professionals that have been through countless hours of training and education, both in the classroom and through hands on experiences. They have spent money on books, instructors, classes, materials, and certification, arranging their personal obligations and professional lives to accommodate the time it takes to be a trained and certified Doula. With the cost of materials, training, travel, and childcare, becoming a Doula is not free or cheap. So for these women to turn around and not charge for their valuable skills and invaluable experience is troubling.

They have spent hours, days, and weeks of their lives supporting mothers, fathers and families. They are part of incredibly intense moments that range from extreme joy to total anguish. They understand the intricacies of pregnancy, labor and birth. They provide emotional and psychological support and help to normalize and contextualize the experience. They use their hands and feet and arms and legs to provide physical support to mothers in labor -- labors that can last for 6, 12, 24 or 48 hours. These women are there - fully there - with their clients in whatever way they need and for however long it takes. 

Doulas can help to shorten labors. They can also help women avoid the use of drugs and they have been shown to lower the incidence of cesarean sections. Time is money, drugs are money, and surgery is definitely money. So besides the physical drawbacks of each of these things, you are saving your clients and/or their insurance companies money. Doulas also help to support women after birth and can be invaluable in establishing healthy breastfeeding relationships (#9 on your list), which involves so many variables and is much harder and more complicated than the desire to make it work. Doulas can also support women with postpartum mood disorders. I know from personal experience that depression can cost a family a lot both emotionally and financially.

“In many ways it is not that Doulas shouldn’t be paid, it is that they are priceless. ”

Below I have included some additional resources on what a Doula is (definitely not a midwife!) and an example of what a Doula charges and how that breaks down. I also included a random board on Baby Center (a very popular mom blog) that highlights the experiences birthing moms have had with Doulas. 

My husband is also a writer, so I understand how tricky your profession can be and that you can't make everyone happy all the time. But I do hope that you'll have a better sense of what Doulas do and the value that they can bring after reading my email. I also hope that the next time someone you know and love has a baby that they are fully supported (maybe by a Doula!) and they can start their journey as a family in the best way possible. 

I welcome any questions or reactions you have - and thank you for taking the time to read my email. 

Potentially helpful resources: 

Wishing you the best,

Ali 

The article that started this all is available here. I welcome your reactions on my post and also encourage you to let Len or anyone else in your life know about the value of a Doula every chance you get. Thanks for the support and the dialogue, as always.