for you single moms-to-be... who's going to be your labor coach? This baby's dad is out of the question, he's moving to denver anyway. My mom was there for my first baby. But I feel like, I'm 21 now, I'm not 17, I'm not a baby, do I really want my mom in there while I'm trying to birth my child? I'm NOT saying any of you who are younger are babies because I was 17 and giving birth too! I'm just saying I feel like I'm too grown up to have my mom right there... and our relationship is really rocky lately anyway. I guess it's more because I have a lot of resentment toward her (she took custody of my son for a year) than the fact that I'm a little older. Maybe my older sister... but that might be awkward too. Is it possible to labor and deliver with no coach? Good/bad idea?
What about a doula? New doulas who need births for certification will often do it for free/donation, or a lot of communities have doula programs for low-income moms.
Yes, you can birth without labor support, but it's a hard row to hoe. Do you have a friend you feel comfortable with?
Otherwise, you're somewhat at the mercy of whomever your labor nurse ends up being, and some nurses are better than others, and some units are better-staffed than others. You don't want to end up with no support person on a night when your nurse is running two labors.
Try dona.org for doula info/referrals.
maybe a close friend or like meghan posted a doula can be great. I had a doula with my birth she was wonderful i wish i just had her in the room. there are programs for low income that will work on a sliding scale. Good luck with things
sorry i should have said the doula helped with my labor i had emergency c-sec so i dont know how it would have been for the actual birth part but durring labor she was wonderful massages, aroma therapy, relaxation stuff.
I remember wishing so hard that I'd just done it alone. would you be comfortable doing that? i really think tha would have been the best choice for me.
I'm thinking about considering the doula idea... I have some close friends but I'm a very private person. I don't want someone I know rather well seeing me in that position, y'know? I'd be too embarassed to be comforted. :P Silly question: how do you pronounce doula? Is it like doo-luh? I don't want to sound like an idiot when I make some calls about doulas.
It is indeed doo-luh.
http://www.girl-mom.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8547
This is a link to a sticky at the top of the forum for more info :-)
What's the chance of them being covered by Medicaid? :?
my doula did it for free, some who are training to be midwives will.
I was using Medicaid at the time of my pregnancy/birth, and I used a doula referred to me by the hospital I gave birth in. It was completely covered - a free service to laboring women.
Contact the hospital you have chosen to use and see if they have a similar program.