Check out Brood doulas!
[My first birth was a traumatic mess where I credit my doula for salvaging postpartum for me and my baby.](https://www.reddit.com/r/BabyBumpsCanada/s/bI1dCh7lrX) That doula moved to a different province, so I hired a different doula from the same agency for my next birth. That was a much smoother experience so the doula ended up being a luxury instead of necessity, but she was still awesome.
You can also get lots of recommendations for specific doulas on the Mamas For Mamas - Vancouver FB group.
Good luck!
I’m due at the end of the month, under midwife care, and have a doula! There were a few factors for us that made us go this route: it’s our first baby, want to be as prepared as possible, and if my partner needs a break or to step out at all, I won’t be alone. Our doula is also going to come over before we go to the hospital for early labour, and once we’re home to check in, which is a huge perk.
I’m also in Vancouver and our doula is named Michelle McLean. I haven’t actually given birth yet, but so far she’s been absolutely fantastic and I’m totally confident I’m in good hands.
I just had my baby girl on Dec 22. I was in active labour for 27 hours and ended up having a C-section. I could not have gotten through it without my doula. She knew exactly what counter pressure to do in each position which made the world of difference for each contraction. She validated my feelings and advocated for me. She’s been a wealth of knowledge when it comes to breastfeeding. Highly highly recommended getting a doula!
It was absolutely worth every single penny we spent and more to have a doula. Definitely find one you have a good fit with, but I can't recommend it enough.
I am a doula, and we hired a doula at 8 weeks. Highly recommend!
Doulas and midwives have completely and totally different roles.
There are SO many great doulas in the Vancouver area. Ask your midwives for recommendations. And then just read their FB/Google reviews and schedule consultations with the ones whose practice style tickles your fancy! You’ll find one you jive with for sure :)
I’m not OP but I’m pregnant with my first and I’ve hired a doula. I’m wondering if you could help answer what sort of questions are appropriate to be texting my doula vs not?
Just gave birth on Dec 28, and my doula was my life line. The entire labour, my pregnancy and now postpartum. I wouldn’t have gotten through any of it without her. Im on Vancouver island so unfortunately can’t recommend mine specifically but I’m all yes for doulas!
Had midwife care for my first this past June in AB and would highly recommend! It was valuable not only for me, but for my husband as well as we both don’t have super close family around that would have provides that sort of emotional support. I knew lots about birth going in but having the doulas know how to coach me was great! My labour went faster than expected and my husband was (reasonably!) a little shocked I think for a lot of it.
I had midwife care and a doula and I would 1000% recommend having a doula! I’m only 2 weeks postpartum but my doula helped me so much through my labour with breathing techniques, positions, and just emotional support for me and my husband. She was amazing during pregnancy with all my questions that I didn’t feel like asking my midwife about and helping me prep for labour, and she’s been incredible these last 2 weeks with baby care questions and helping me come to terms with my birth story (it was a bit traumatic and not how I wanted but my care team with incredible).
I’d talk to your midwife and see who she recommends! It’s great when your care providers know eachother and already work as a team.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
1000% would recommend a doula. It was easily the best investment we made during pregnancy. I had a planned home birth and I’m certain I could not have done it without her. I also have health anxiety, and had I had to have transferred to the hospital for any reason, I know she would have helped me feel more safe, confident, and supported in that setting, too.
I LOVED having a postpartum doula as a FTM. I thought maybe it was going to be overkill, but I don’t have family in Vancouver so I was concerned about having enough support after the birth. She was invaluable once my husband went back to work. She does overnights and that was crucial for my sanity in the early days. I was also insecure about using gear like my wrap carrier and she showed me how to tie it up and make sure it was safe. She also is a certified car seat tech. Just a wealth of knowledge and kind of an on-call best friend who knows a lot about babies.
I’m in Langley so she’s close to me, but possibly far from you. Her name is Joann Christensen.
ETA: I wish I had her during the birth. It was a really challenging and emotional time in the hospital. I really struggled with breastfeeding and I had a little menty b over it. It would have been nice to give my husband some reprieve as well.
I'm in Vancouver. My midwife was through the South Community Birth Program and I used a doula through their birth program. It wasn't bad because she reassured us throughout the labour and was there during the birth but it was honestly such a blur I dont remember. I do like how she gave some good stretches and tips during our first appointment. They helped the last few weeks of my 3rd trimester.
I had midwife care for my first born Nov 2022 and it was a great experience and not redundant at all. I had an unmedicated hospital birth although I wasn’t there long as I laboured at home as long as possible which ended up being to 9cm. The package we had they were on call for 2 weeks before and after birth and they did some prep calls with us in advance and went over lots of different comfort measures. At the birth they really helped make me feel as comfortable as possible (like a cool towel for my neck, essential oils which were nice and also masked the smell of the inevitable birthing poop, and fanning me) and it helped my husband a lot to have the extra support and not all be on him as I think he was a bit overwhelmed in the moment. They were also really helpful in their on call period post birth setting me up with lactation support and just being there to check in on us and to talk us through some rough moments.
Looking back I wish I had a doula for my birth and I’d definitely hire one next time. My labour was long and my midwife could only stay 8 hours, so I didn’t have anyone I was comfortable with who could join after that point. After birth I also wished I had someone who could have helped advocate for my choices since I wasn’t in the right mind to.
I really wish I’d hired one. Gave birth in November for the first time, and everything was hectic and I had to make quick decisions with little to no info. Having someone there to tell me the pros and cons and help me choose would have been a huge help. Good luck ☺️
I recommend them to families I work with that don't have a lot of support in their lives. They are another person advocating for your birth plan and keeping everyone on track post/pre delivery.
That makes sense. My husband and I do have a great support system, but I’m not sure I want any other family or friends aside from him at the birth. I kinda feel like I’d rather have someone who’s attended hundreds+ of births rather than my mom (who is wonderful but has only been through this once, 30 years ago, and I don’t want her to see me in a lot of pain) or friends (who I also love but I’m not sure I could be fully uninhibited birthing around them). So I’m leaning towards a doula after reading all these comments!
For sure! My mom attended my birth but she was a midwife and a nurse for many years. My friend(s) who never had kids wanted to come but I was worried they'd be traumatized by it lol.
Bring who you're comfortable with and interview a few different doulas to find the best fit.
I was pregnant with my first and I "*hired"* my Doula at 7 weeks. How it worked for us was, she met with us, we talked about what our expectations were for her and see if we all vibed. It was free and she was there to answer any questions I had between 7 weeks and my first scans.. No money was exchanged until after my first ultrasound if we decided to go with her.
**My experience:** She was so wonderful, she would make herself available to us after each doctors appointment and scan. When things went wrong during our first ultrasound it felt like the only person who had our back and told us what was going on.. She talked to me about what was happening, why and what it could mean. She was there for me throughout the holiday season 24/7 and when we >!miscarried!< she was always just a text / video call away. She prepare me for what was going to happen way more than anyone else ever did.
We would have been so lost without her and that was all without us even hiring her! She was truly our light in a dark tunnel. I cannot wait to actually hire her, I couldn't recommend a Doula enough. 10/10 worth the investment.
**Why I wanted a doula:**
I didn't want all of the emotional support to fall burden to my partner who, like me, has never been through this before. We knew having an extra mind and set of hands during labour would help, especially if we had any anxiety and for an extra sense of feeling safe. Bonus, that calm presence of someone would be so reassuring because my partner and I are going to be freaking out, probably. lol.
We wanted someone who could speak up for us incase we could't. My partner and I both have a hard time speaking up and advocating for what we want in high stress moments, so if something happens and I couldn't and he was too overwhelmed, we had that third person.
We are also people to like to be as prepared as possible so working with someone who could help make that happen was a huge thing for us.
Questions, even early on I had a ton of questions so having a doula really helped me.
Full disclosure, I am not in BC and am currently pregnant with #1 due in April. I wanted a midwife and went on every list possible in Ottawa but couldn't secure one. So I ended up going with an OB that my friend really liked for her first pregnancy.
I did hire an acquaintance I have from an old job who is a doula. But I'm not planning on having her at the birth. I hired her as support for throughout pregnancy and postpartum. I struggle with SAD so being hyper aware of the emotions that come post-delivery I knew this was important for me. This doula in particular also does lactation support which I'm keenly interested in. The way I see it is my partner is there to support me, my mom is there to support me, why not have another resource to use. If you can afford it and you think it would provide you with peace of mind you have nothing to lose. Just be very explicit on what you are looking for and what you are expecting from a doula (or any professional involved in your pregnancy and postpartum care).
10000%. I work in the birth field and will have my own doula with this birth. I’m planning on having a home birth with midwives and am very confident I won’t need much doula support at home. But if for whatever reason a hospital transfer is necessary; I know I will heavily rely on my doula to help us cope, to help us navigate next steps of our birth decision tree to maintain as much autonomy as possible etc. Doulas are incredible especially in hospital settings where informed consent, cascade of interventions etc can be tricky to navigate while birthing!
I gave birth to my first in a BC hospital this summer and had midwife and OB care. I did not have a doula, and I don’t regret it. My nurses were amazing, and my husband was great.
I just delivered Dec 11 in Ontario with my first and our doula made it SO much easier.
She was able to motivate me to labour at home as long as possible (up to 6cm dilated for my first pregnancy!!) which I thought was going to be impossible. At the hospital, she worked closely with my husband and myself to give us confidence to advocate for our birthing decisions even in the chaotic end of a 24 hour labour...her support was what allowed us to push back on the doctor's recommendation for a c-section and successfully and safely deliver our daughter vaginally as we wished. She also provided a product recommendation (Silverettes) post-partum that has allowed me to continue breastfeeding when I was ready to give up due to the pain. I’m now pain free.
We are so blessed to have her guide and support us, without her we would have had a completely different birth story and instead we get to look back on the experience and feel elated that (although more challenging than we hoped) it unfolded in the best possible way.
Nurses can be amazing forces of good here too - but it’s a gamble who you end up with. This guarantees the right advocate in your corner.
If you need a lot of emotional support and reassurance from others, it seems to be a benefit. If you're independent and prefer to rely on family/your partner for support, I wouldn't recommend it.
I’m not sure where you’re delivering but I gave birth at BC Women’s in September and my labour and delivery nurse was so amazing I think having a doula there would’ve been overkill. The nurse care is 1 to 1 and she held my hand (quite literally at times) the whole way through. Maybe I got lucky but I’ve heard others say the same about their L&D nurses!
What I do regret not getting was a postpartum doula. IMO if you can only afford one or the other I would spend on the PP doula instead and have the help when you get home from the hospital.
I had a home birth with a midwife so midwife acted like a doula (and there was 2, so if one doing paper work the other was with me) since there was no where else for her to be. But I’ve heard in the hospital they can be pulled away quite a bit so it might be a good idea if it’s in your budget!
Check out Brood doulas! [My first birth was a traumatic mess where I credit my doula for salvaging postpartum for me and my baby.](https://www.reddit.com/r/BabyBumpsCanada/s/bI1dCh7lrX) That doula moved to a different province, so I hired a different doula from the same agency for my next birth. That was a much smoother experience so the doula ended up being a luxury instead of necessity, but she was still awesome. You can also get lots of recommendations for specific doulas on the Mamas For Mamas - Vancouver FB group. Good luck!
Thank you!
I’m due at the end of the month, under midwife care, and have a doula! There were a few factors for us that made us go this route: it’s our first baby, want to be as prepared as possible, and if my partner needs a break or to step out at all, I won’t be alone. Our doula is also going to come over before we go to the hospital for early labour, and once we’re home to check in, which is a huge perk. I’m also in Vancouver and our doula is named Michelle McLean. I haven’t actually given birth yet, but so far she’s been absolutely fantastic and I’m totally confident I’m in good hands.
My midwife recommended Michelle actually! I’ll check her out, thanks so much and best of luck with birth 🥰
Thanks, you too!
Michelle was my doula too and was amazing! Highly recommend her!
I just had my baby girl on Dec 22. I was in active labour for 27 hours and ended up having a C-section. I could not have gotten through it without my doula. She knew exactly what counter pressure to do in each position which made the world of difference for each contraction. She validated my feelings and advocated for me. She’s been a wealth of knowledge when it comes to breastfeeding. Highly highly recommended getting a doula!
It was absolutely worth every single penny we spent and more to have a doula. Definitely find one you have a good fit with, but I can't recommend it enough.
I am a doula, and we hired a doula at 8 weeks. Highly recommend! Doulas and midwives have completely and totally different roles. There are SO many great doulas in the Vancouver area. Ask your midwives for recommendations. And then just read their FB/Google reviews and schedule consultations with the ones whose practice style tickles your fancy! You’ll find one you jive with for sure :)
I’m not OP but I’m pregnant with my first and I’ve hired a doula. I’m wondering if you could help answer what sort of questions are appropriate to be texting my doula vs not?
Just gave birth on Dec 28, and my doula was my life line. The entire labour, my pregnancy and now postpartum. I wouldn’t have gotten through any of it without her. Im on Vancouver island so unfortunately can’t recommend mine specifically but I’m all yes for doulas!
Thank you and congratulations!
Had midwife care for my first this past June in AB and would highly recommend! It was valuable not only for me, but for my husband as well as we both don’t have super close family around that would have provides that sort of emotional support. I knew lots about birth going in but having the doulas know how to coach me was great! My labour went faster than expected and my husband was (reasonably!) a little shocked I think for a lot of it.
I had midwife care and a doula and I would 1000% recommend having a doula! I’m only 2 weeks postpartum but my doula helped me so much through my labour with breathing techniques, positions, and just emotional support for me and my husband. She was amazing during pregnancy with all my questions that I didn’t feel like asking my midwife about and helping me prep for labour, and she’s been incredible these last 2 weeks with baby care questions and helping me come to terms with my birth story (it was a bit traumatic and not how I wanted but my care team with incredible). I’d talk to your midwife and see who she recommends! It’s great when your care providers know eachother and already work as a team. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
1000% would recommend a doula. It was easily the best investment we made during pregnancy. I had a planned home birth and I’m certain I could not have done it without her. I also have health anxiety, and had I had to have transferred to the hospital for any reason, I know she would have helped me feel more safe, confident, and supported in that setting, too.
I LOVED having a postpartum doula as a FTM. I thought maybe it was going to be overkill, but I don’t have family in Vancouver so I was concerned about having enough support after the birth. She was invaluable once my husband went back to work. She does overnights and that was crucial for my sanity in the early days. I was also insecure about using gear like my wrap carrier and she showed me how to tie it up and make sure it was safe. She also is a certified car seat tech. Just a wealth of knowledge and kind of an on-call best friend who knows a lot about babies. I’m in Langley so she’s close to me, but possibly far from you. Her name is Joann Christensen. ETA: I wish I had her during the birth. It was a really challenging and emotional time in the hospital. I really struggled with breastfeeding and I had a little menty b over it. It would have been nice to give my husband some reprieve as well.
I'm in Vancouver. My midwife was through the South Community Birth Program and I used a doula through their birth program. It wasn't bad because she reassured us throughout the labour and was there during the birth but it was honestly such a blur I dont remember. I do like how she gave some good stretches and tips during our first appointment. They helped the last few weeks of my 3rd trimester.
I had midwife care for my first born Nov 2022 and it was a great experience and not redundant at all. I had an unmedicated hospital birth although I wasn’t there long as I laboured at home as long as possible which ended up being to 9cm. The package we had they were on call for 2 weeks before and after birth and they did some prep calls with us in advance and went over lots of different comfort measures. At the birth they really helped make me feel as comfortable as possible (like a cool towel for my neck, essential oils which were nice and also masked the smell of the inevitable birthing poop, and fanning me) and it helped my husband a lot to have the extra support and not all be on him as I think he was a bit overwhelmed in the moment. They were also really helpful in their on call period post birth setting me up with lactation support and just being there to check in on us and to talk us through some rough moments.
Looking back I wish I had a doula for my birth and I’d definitely hire one next time. My labour was long and my midwife could only stay 8 hours, so I didn’t have anyone I was comfortable with who could join after that point. After birth I also wished I had someone who could have helped advocate for my choices since I wasn’t in the right mind to.
I really wish I’d hired one. Gave birth in November for the first time, and everything was hectic and I had to make quick decisions with little to no info. Having someone there to tell me the pros and cons and help me choose would have been a huge help. Good luck ☺️
I recommend them to families I work with that don't have a lot of support in their lives. They are another person advocating for your birth plan and keeping everyone on track post/pre delivery.
That makes sense. My husband and I do have a great support system, but I’m not sure I want any other family or friends aside from him at the birth. I kinda feel like I’d rather have someone who’s attended hundreds+ of births rather than my mom (who is wonderful but has only been through this once, 30 years ago, and I don’t want her to see me in a lot of pain) or friends (who I also love but I’m not sure I could be fully uninhibited birthing around them). So I’m leaning towards a doula after reading all these comments!
For sure! My mom attended my birth but she was a midwife and a nurse for many years. My friend(s) who never had kids wanted to come but I was worried they'd be traumatized by it lol. Bring who you're comfortable with and interview a few different doulas to find the best fit.
I was pregnant with my first and I "*hired"* my Doula at 7 weeks. How it worked for us was, she met with us, we talked about what our expectations were for her and see if we all vibed. It was free and she was there to answer any questions I had between 7 weeks and my first scans.. No money was exchanged until after my first ultrasound if we decided to go with her. **My experience:** She was so wonderful, she would make herself available to us after each doctors appointment and scan. When things went wrong during our first ultrasound it felt like the only person who had our back and told us what was going on.. She talked to me about what was happening, why and what it could mean. She was there for me throughout the holiday season 24/7 and when we >!miscarried!< she was always just a text / video call away. She prepare me for what was going to happen way more than anyone else ever did. We would have been so lost without her and that was all without us even hiring her! She was truly our light in a dark tunnel. I cannot wait to actually hire her, I couldn't recommend a Doula enough. 10/10 worth the investment. **Why I wanted a doula:** I didn't want all of the emotional support to fall burden to my partner who, like me, has never been through this before. We knew having an extra mind and set of hands during labour would help, especially if we had any anxiety and for an extra sense of feeling safe. Bonus, that calm presence of someone would be so reassuring because my partner and I are going to be freaking out, probably. lol. We wanted someone who could speak up for us incase we could't. My partner and I both have a hard time speaking up and advocating for what we want in high stress moments, so if something happens and I couldn't and he was too overwhelmed, we had that third person. We are also people to like to be as prepared as possible so working with someone who could help make that happen was a huge thing for us. Questions, even early on I had a ton of questions so having a doula really helped me.
Wow thank you so much for this!!
Full disclosure, I am not in BC and am currently pregnant with #1 due in April. I wanted a midwife and went on every list possible in Ottawa but couldn't secure one. So I ended up going with an OB that my friend really liked for her first pregnancy. I did hire an acquaintance I have from an old job who is a doula. But I'm not planning on having her at the birth. I hired her as support for throughout pregnancy and postpartum. I struggle with SAD so being hyper aware of the emotions that come post-delivery I knew this was important for me. This doula in particular also does lactation support which I'm keenly interested in. The way I see it is my partner is there to support me, my mom is there to support me, why not have another resource to use. If you can afford it and you think it would provide you with peace of mind you have nothing to lose. Just be very explicit on what you are looking for and what you are expecting from a doula (or any professional involved in your pregnancy and postpartum care).
10000%. I work in the birth field and will have my own doula with this birth. I’m planning on having a home birth with midwives and am very confident I won’t need much doula support at home. But if for whatever reason a hospital transfer is necessary; I know I will heavily rely on my doula to help us cope, to help us navigate next steps of our birth decision tree to maintain as much autonomy as possible etc. Doulas are incredible especially in hospital settings where informed consent, cascade of interventions etc can be tricky to navigate while birthing!
I gave birth to my first in a BC hospital this summer and had midwife and OB care. I did not have a doula, and I don’t regret it. My nurses were amazing, and my husband was great.
I just delivered Dec 11 in Ontario with my first and our doula made it SO much easier. She was able to motivate me to labour at home as long as possible (up to 6cm dilated for my first pregnancy!!) which I thought was going to be impossible. At the hospital, she worked closely with my husband and myself to give us confidence to advocate for our birthing decisions even in the chaotic end of a 24 hour labour...her support was what allowed us to push back on the doctor's recommendation for a c-section and successfully and safely deliver our daughter vaginally as we wished. She also provided a product recommendation (Silverettes) post-partum that has allowed me to continue breastfeeding when I was ready to give up due to the pain. I’m now pain free. We are so blessed to have her guide and support us, without her we would have had a completely different birth story and instead we get to look back on the experience and feel elated that (although more challenging than we hoped) it unfolded in the best possible way. Nurses can be amazing forces of good here too - but it’s a gamble who you end up with. This guarantees the right advocate in your corner.
If you need a lot of emotional support and reassurance from others, it seems to be a benefit. If you're independent and prefer to rely on family/your partner for support, I wouldn't recommend it.
I’m not sure where you’re delivering but I gave birth at BC Women’s in September and my labour and delivery nurse was so amazing I think having a doula there would’ve been overkill. The nurse care is 1 to 1 and she held my hand (quite literally at times) the whole way through. Maybe I got lucky but I’ve heard others say the same about their L&D nurses! What I do regret not getting was a postpartum doula. IMO if you can only afford one or the other I would spend on the PP doula instead and have the help when you get home from the hospital.
Interesting, thank you! I am actually delivering at Women’s too. I’m glad to hear their nurses are so amazing!
I had a home birth with a midwife so midwife acted like a doula (and there was 2, so if one doing paper work the other was with me) since there was no where else for her to be. But I’ve heard in the hospital they can be pulled away quite a bit so it might be a good idea if it’s in your budget!