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Birth Doula | Childbirth Education | Postpartum Doula
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Birth Doula
What is Birth Day Presence’s philosophy about childbirth and supporting women and their partners through labor?
We believe that the doula's role is to support a woman unconditionally throughout her pregnancy and birth. We do not make decisions for our clients or expect them to give birth in any particular way. Our affiliated doulas offer physical, emotional, and informational support no matter what is happening during the birth.
What makes your clases different?
We are the only independent childbirth ed studio in nyc. We are not affiliated with any doctors or hospitals which allows us to give you complete, unbiased information.
I'm giving birth at a birth center with a midwife.
Do I still need a doula?
Although it is often true that a midwife will spend a significant amount of time with you during your birth, if you are using a birth center, you will still be in labor for much of the time at home. Having a birth doula at home really helps you to feel supported until you are ready to come in to the birth center. Birth center midwives may have to care for more than one patient, as well, so she may have to go back and forth between patients. In addition, should any medical issues present themselves during your labor, your midwife’s primary responsibility is for your safety and the safety of the baby and she will not be able to provide the nurturing care you need, while she is assessing your well-being.
I'm considering using an epidural at my birth. Will your doulas support that choice? What would a doula do then?
All of the doulas affiliated with us are trained to support the women in her choices for her birth, whatever they may be. Should you choose to use an epidural during your birth, your doula still plays an incredibly valuable role. She helps you at home while you are in labor, she helps you get to the hospital, she continues to support you physically and emotionally until the anesthesiologist becomes available, she helps you manage any side effects of the medication should you have any, she makes suggestions of positions that will help facilitate the baby into the best position that are doable with an epidural, she helps you push your baby out with encouragement and position suggestions, and finally she helps you with initial breastfeeding. She of course, maintains her role as your advocate and helps you seek any information you need during the process.
You seem to have a wide range of prices for your birth doulas. What is the main difference from price to price?
Our prices vary depending upon the level of experience of our doulas. We take into account the number of births a doula has attended along with any other training and/or experience she may have when deciding upon a fee. Our goal in providing doulas at a variety of price points is to ensure that all women who want a doula have the opportunity to work with someone qualified within their budget. Our price points are $800, $1,200, $1,600, and $2000-$2400. We also often have a few doulas in-training who work at the $300-500 rate.
What does the fee for a birth doula include?
The fee includes the following:
- Unlimited telephone and email support prior to your birth
- Prenatal meeting at your home to explore and clarify your birth preferences
- On-call 24 hours per day, 7 days per week from your 36th week of pregnancy until the birth of your baby
- Your doula will attend your entire birth with no time limit
- Your doula will remain for 1 to 2 hours after the birth to assist with breastfeeding
- One postnatal meeting one to two weeks after the birth
Will my doula come to my home during labor?
Yes! A big part of having the support of a doula is having that support at home before leaving for the birth center or hospital. You will decide the best time for your doula to join you and this may either be at your home or at the hospital depending upon the situation.
What if I want to be alone at some point during the labor?
Your doula’s main concern is for your physical and emotional comfort. If at any point you would prefer to be alone, your doula will respect your wishes and will rejoin you whenever you would like.
How do your doulas work with my midwife or OB and the nurses at the hospital?
Our doulas do everything they can to work as a team with the hospital staff. They will help you to communicate your birth preferences and ensure that you have all the information needed to make informed choices. Your doula will not speak your wishes directly to the staff and she won’t make any medical decisions for you.
What is the difference between a birth center and a regular labor and delivery ward?
Typically birth centers serve low-risk women who are seeking unmedicated births with less use of interventions. The staff at birth centers realize that this is what their patients are wishing for and assist accordingly. Birth centers have Jacuzzi tubs for labor, use handheld monitoring (so you can move freely), and do not separate babies from their mothers after birth, provided all is well. Birth center patients do not have access to epidurals, and would have to transfer care to Labor and Delivery for an epidural or other possibly necessary interventions. Labor and delivery wards serve a wider range of women, including high-risk patients, and thus utilize a wider range of interventions.
I'm thinking about hiring a doula because I don’t like my OB/midwife/place of birth.
Will this help me have the birth I want?
Certainly hiring your own one-on-one continuous labor support will make a huge and positive impact on your birth. However, as non-medical care providers, we cannot change the policies and protocols of your care provider or place of birth. We can help you to get the information you need so that you can make the best decision for yourself. Remember that you cannot order Italian food in a Chinese restaurant, so the best thing to do is find out ahead of time if your care provider and place of birth fully support your wishes for your birth and have a good reputation for serving other women with similar wishes. It is never too late to switch care providers or place of birth (though it does get more challenging as you advance in your pregnancy) and being with the right people and in the right place, means you do not have to spend your entire birth advocating for yourself, when you should just be focusing on your labor. We are happy to help you consider alternatives if you are unhappy with your situation.
What questions should I ask my care provider?
Having a conversation with your care provider prior to your birth to ensure you are on the same page is a great idea. Some questions could include: What are your policies on fetal monitoring? How much am I allowed to move around while in labor? Can I give birth in different positions including squatting, sidelying or all fours if that feels right at the time? Do you perform routine episiotomies/what percentage of your patients have episiotomies? May I keep my baby on my chest after the birth as long as the baby is ok? What percentage of your patients have a cesarean birth? (World Health Organization recommends 10-15% max). If you are interested in having an unmedicated birth, tell your provider and ask how they would support you in avoiding pain medication.
Do you offer gift certificates?
Yes! The gift of doula care is an invaluable and special gift for both expectant and new parents. Please contact our main number to discuss. We are also happy to take partial payments from several people toward a birth or postpartum doula.
Are your doulas certified?
All of our doulas are either certified with DONA International or ALACE. Some of our newer doulas may still be working toward certification.
Will my insurance cover doula care? Do you take insurance?
You will have to contact your insurance carrier to see if they cover doula services. We are happy to fill out any paperwork needed by your carrier for coverage and will provide you with an official receipt to submit upon request.
How is choosing a BDP doula different than working with another private doula in the city?
BDP offers doulas at a wide variety of price ranges so that we may meet the needs of many different families in the city. BDP is a leader in the doula business with 8 strong years behind us. We affiliate with the most responsible, passionate, caring and educated doulas out there and our doulas consistently receive wonderful feedback. The wonderful thing about choosing a BDP-affiliated doula is that you know she has a strong network of support behind her. In the unlikely event that she is unable to attend your birth, you know the wonderful backup doula you will have in her place is affiliated with an organization with a great reputation.
I definitely want to hire a BDP doula. What is the next step?
Just give us a call at 917.751.6579 or email us at doulas@birthdaypresence.net to discuss the next steps!
Childbirth Education & Postpartum Doula FAQs>>
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doulas@birthdaypresence.net | (917) 751-6579
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