Our Doula Experience! Part 1

Doula: Our Doula Experience & Why we Highly Recommend them!

Since going through our labor experience we have had many ask us varying questions regarding the fact that we chose to have a doula. What did she do?, Why did we want one?, Benefits?, Worth the cost?, and so much more. So here I want to share some of those answers and hopefully express my absolute love for doulas!

While pregnant I told my husband I only wanted us in the labor room...not a single other person outside of my OB and a nurse. This of course upset some people at times as a few people really wanted to be in the room with us but we both realized this was a special time for us that we wanted on our own. Hubby and I both agreed we really wanted a natural labor (easy for him to want right! heehee) and so no medication or epidural and use of breathing techniques and different positions were the plan. I made sure this was something hubby thought he could help me get through and we did.

However, we then started our birthing classes and worry started to creep into my husband’s mind. He said he knew he could help me in each position but wasn’t sure if he would remember them all in the moment and he was worried if he would make it through the entire time (most first labors average 15 hours). So, when in our class the lady discussed the doula program (which we had already read about them but they were kind of expensive in our minds--can be around $1500 in our area) and expressed the much lower cost via our hospital network my husband said he really wanted to do it. Having him openly express this need I immediately was on board with having the assistant -- in my mind for him.

We filled out our application and we were able to interview and decide who we wanted to be our doula. We fell in love with the perfect doula Carli. I can’t rave about this woman and her work enough below is her page and I highly recommend looking her up! The hospital also included a plan for a back up doula as well which we were grateful for as in the end we ended up starting with our back-up doula and finishing with our primary.

Pre-labor: Our doula was available via phone and email for all of my questions and concerns. At this stage my husband didn't reach out to the doula but I did repeatedly and this was the first point I realized how helpful she was for me not just my husband. Between nerves, creating my birth plan, induction guidance, ways to ease labor, and more she was always very helpful for me!

Labor: We started with a natural induction using a CRB (cervical ripening balloon) so although we told our doula (backup doula at the time due to of course my induction being the one weekend my primary wasn’t free) when we would be going in for our induction we told them there was no need for their arrival until things were really happening since we both were just trying to sleep through the CRB process anyway. However when we finally had my water broken we had our backup doula arrive. She guided us through different labor positions (I was never just laying on my back through contractions, and was able to avoid back labor) and even laboring in the shower.

Now I have to admit I was pretty bummed at first when I started the process because our photographer bailed on us, our primary doula wasn’t available, and though my primary OB said she wanted to induce me that night and she would be in the next day she ended up switching shifts with someone because of family matters. However, I felt like I moved past it and accepted it pretty well and was excited we would be meeting our little boy.

Long story short including the 9 hour CRB induction I was in labor for just under 24 hours with my backup doula and was surprised when my primary doula, Carli, arrived. I just smiled and was so excited to see her (she was out of town, arrived back, and could have just went home and went to bed but decided to come take care of me and I will always be so blessed and happy that she was willing to do this for me!) as I really wasn’t expecting her to make it. With my primary doula present and the anxiety just melting away I had our little boy. She soothed me, comforted me, and made me feel as though everything was perfect. I think it took me after all of the hustle and bustle with our son to realize that I must have been holding out for her still...hoping that since she told me she would be in later that night that she would still make it even though I had my backup. It’s truly interesting how our bodies make things happen sometimes. Carli took pictures for us of our labor and delivery and I couldn’t cherish them anymore! I love them and have to say in the end I’m glad we didn’t try to throw in a photographer as well with the number of people we had as we really didn’t need one.

Post-Delivery: After our son was born our doula quickly congratulated us, checked in on how I was doing and hubby, final support, and then let us know she would come back one more time to check in during our stay if at all possible. She came my last day (his second to last) and we were able to just talk about everything that had happened (including how I was doing, feeling, baby, etc), laugh about the fact that I held out for her, and just enjoy her presence with us, and of course she got to see our happy little boy!

Tell us about your doula...

First of all I technically had two doulas. I had a primary and backup doula. My labor began with my backup due to my labor occuring the one weekend my primary was out of town. However, she returned and was able to be present and help me through the final hours of my birth of our son.

My primary doula was Carli Mellentine she has her own practice called Willow Tree Doula Services. https://www.willowtreedoula.com/ She is based out of McCordsville, IN but assisted in our birth at Community East Hospital in Indianapolis. She also does births at Community North, Methodist, and other locations including home births (with midwives)! She is a DONA certified doula.

I cannot recommend Carli enough! our birth would not have gone the way I was hoping without her fairy godmother magic coming in at 10pm after 24 hours of labor and meeting our baby boy 4 hours later with her support!!