Why I am Spending $1500 on a Doula

Introducing a baby into your life is, no doubt, an expensive prospect. Why among the many costs of this exciting event did I choose to spend $1500 additional on hiring a doula? Because a doula is essentially a patient advocate.

I am a nurse and have participated in many births myself, however I know that when I become the patient, I will no longer be able to be able to take on the role of advocate for myself. From my personal experience, this is the time to invite a trusted person in to act in this role.

What sealed this decision for me with ease was the evidenced based outcomes. In 2017, Bohren et al.¹ published an updated Cochrane review that combined the results of 26 trials including over 15,000 patients in total. They found that the presence of a doula reduced the chance of a C-section by 39%. Furthermore, they found the continuous support to the laboring mother showed shorter labor times by 40 minutes, 10% reduction in use of medications, and 38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five minute Apgar score.

My risk of having a C-section just went from 1 in 3 to 1 in 5. I will take those odds! With that small pivot, I have also avoided the further risks that come along with C-section: Infection, hemorrhage, and surgical injury. I will have a shorter recovery time and less pain.

Could we not extrapolate from this data that continuous support during hospitalization or illness could provide better outcomes significantly for patients?

Yes, this is a significant upfront cost, but I believe I will save the money (and furthermore my health, and overall experience) in excess of the upfront cost.