FAQs & Resources

FAQs & Resources

Birth Doulas |  Postpartum Doulas  |  Childbirth Education | Resources | Community Spotlight

Birth Doula FAQs

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.

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 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 10 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 fill out the doula request form here and we’ll be in touch with you shortly!  If you have additional questions, give us a call at 917.751.6579 or email us at doulas@birthdaypresence.net.

Childbirth Education FAQs

• At what point during my pregnancy should I take a childbirth class?
• What are the different options for childbirth class?
• Where are your classes offered?
• What is the philosophy of your childbirth classes?
• What makes the Birth Day Presence Class stand out from other classes?
• If I am in a non-traditional family, will I feel comfortable in your classes?
• Is your space comfortable? I hear that a lot of childbirth classes make moms sit on the floor.
• How many couples are in your classes?
• I’m pregnant again! I just need a review.

At what point during my pregnancy should I take a childbirth class?
While you can take a childbirth education class at any point during your pregnancy, most couples chose to take a class at some point in their third trimester. We recommend the class finishing by the time you are 36 weeks pregnant. We highly recommend taking the early bird class first, if you are 20 weeks and under.

What are the different options for childbirth class?
We offer our childbirth education classes in three formats, 6 week, weekend intensive, and private. The most popular is our 6-week class which meets weeknights from 7-9:15pm. For those with busier schedules, our weekend intensive meets on a Saturday and Sunday. Please check our schedule for dates and times. We also offer privates and semi-privates at our Studios or in your home, making childbirth class convenient for everyone.

Where are your classes offered?
Our full schedule of classes are taught at our Park Slope and Soho Studios. We also offer some classes and/or workshops at Destination Maternity in midtown and at Caribou Baby in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Please check our schedule for dates/locations.

What is the philosophy of your childbirth classes?
Although we are certified through Lamaze, we don’t teach any one method; rather we pull the best parts from the most popular methods, as well as from our extensive experience in the field. There is no one right way to labor. We stand by the philosophy that birth is a normal process and hope to inspire confidence in the couples that we teach. It is our goal to teach the full spectrum of options a woman has when preparing for her birth, and then to support her unconditionally. The most important way to approach your birth is with confidence and relaxation. You achieve this by knowing what possible things to expect, developing a pain-coping mindset to move through your labor, and by feeling prepared to work through whatever your journey turns out to be.

What makes the Birth Day Presence Class stand out from other classes?
Our class is extremely dynamic and engaging. We have worked hard to create a rich and interactive class that we know our students love. Our classes were created by highly experienced doulas and mothers who have trained in several forms of childbirth education. We pull from our experience and the best of everything out there to make a class you will love to attend! Our classes also foster a sense of community, so many of our students remain in touch after the class.

If I am in a non-traditional family, will I feel comfortable in your classes?
Yes! Single mothers and couples of all genders welcome!

Is your space comfortable? I hear that a lot of childbirth classes make moms sit on the floor.
Yes! Please join us in our living-room like Studios. We have couches, chairs, lots of pillows and footstools. And you are welcome to eat and move as necessary during class.

How many couples are in your classes?
The maximum for our classes is 9 couples. However on average our classes have between 6 to 9 couples. We feel this is a good size as couples can learn from the group while still receiving individualized attention.

I’m pregnant again! I just need a review.
Do you offer something like that? Yes! Please join us at our Childbirth Refresher Class.

Postpartum Doula FAQs

• What is the difference between a postpartum doula and and baby nurse?
• Do you have any hourly or daily minimums?
• We just had a baby and need help NOW! How quickly until someone can come over?
• What will a postpartum doula help me with?
• Can a postpartum doula help me in the hospital after I give birth?
• Is a postpartum doula also a Lactation Consultant?
• I definitely want to hire a BDP doula. What is the next step?

What is the difference between a postpartum doula and and baby nurse?
Baby nurses typically live with the family 24 hours a day for the first few weeks after the baby is born. Usually they have their own room and are the primary caregivers for the baby. Postpartum doulas,on the other hand, are committed to helping the family in whatever ways necessary to help ease the transition to parenthood. They usually work for 4-6 hour shifts during the day and this can be for as little as one day up to several weeks of help. They also offer 10 hr overnight shifts. The main goal of the postpartum doula is to educate and empower new parents so they feel confident in caring for their child.

Do you have any hourly or daily minimums?
Yes. If you would like to meet and hire your doula in advance of your due date, we require a 16 hour committment up front. Your initial meeting will be at your home. If you decide to hire her that hour-long meeting will count as one of the 16 hours. If you don’t feel that she’s the best match, we will send someone else for you to meet. If you don’t hire any of our postpartum doulas, the meetings will be free. If you only prefer to start with 4 hours, you can call us after the baby is born and we will send whomever is available.

We just had a baby and need help NOW! How quickly until someone can come over?
Just give us a call and/or email us (917.751.6579/doulas@birthdaypresence.net) We’ll have someone join you as soon as possible – usually the same or next day! This will be a 4 hour minimum requirement. What are the rates for a postpartum doula? Please look under ‘Birth and Postpartum Doula Services‘ for specific info on rates, etc.

What will a postpartum doula help me with?

• Breastfeeding support and instruction
• Infant soothing skills
• Coping skills for new parents
• Making appropriate referrals when necessary
• Running errands
• Meal preparation and light housekeeping
• Help with care of other siblings
• Accompanying mother and infant to doctor appointments

Can a postpartum doula help me in the hospital after I give birth?
Yes! Our postpartum doulas will be happy to provide care to you and your new family in the days that you are at the hospital.

Is a postpartum doula also a Lactation Consultant?
No. Our postpartum doulas are trained in breastfeeding support and can solve a lot of basic breastfeeding issues, but they will always refer you to an LC if you need more support.

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!

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Little Essentials is a community-based organization that helps families stay together by providing free baby and toddler (to age 4) clothing, gear, toys and other essential items to Brooklyn families living in poverty.

The community response was overwhelming – the donor families thrilled to have a direct impact on a family in need and the NYC DH & MH thankful to have discovered this much needed resource. “LE has become an invaluable resource for the families I work with, providing them with much needed children’s clothes and high-ticket items such as car-seats, strollers and bassinets. This organization makes a real difference.” – Ms. Ammann, NYC DH & MH. That was June 2010, in May of 2011, Trombert started Little Essentials (LE), a 501(c)(3) not for profit, to provide free baby and toddler clothing to impoverished Brooklyn families.

Still operating out of her home, Trombert collects donated items and distributes them free of charge through a network of twelve social service and city agencies that serve low-income families living in the most poverty stricken areas of Brooklyn where many live at or below the Federal poverty level ($23,050/year for a family of four). She along with a small group of volunteers still does the heavy lifting sorting, cleaning, storing and distribution. Her husband works full time during the day and picks up donations from donors and drops off order requests to LE’s partner organizations in the evenings.

Little Essentials has helped over 1200 Brooklyn children in need! You can support LE’s efforts by making a tax deductible DONATION. Financial contributions will help Trombert move this operation out of her home assist even more families.

Little Essentials (LE) helps keep families together by providing free baby and toddler (to age 4) clothing, gear, toys and other essential items to Brooklyn families living in poverty. LE helps keep children safe; lifts the spirits and provides hope to their parents; and takes care of our environment by reusing items that are only briefly used.

RESOURCES

Maternity Care Issues

Childbirth Education

Local Birth Centers

Homebirth

VBAC

Breastfeeding

Great Local Businesses

  • Bump Brooklyn: A great Maternity store and online shop

 

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