28/03/2026
Agree? Disagree? Share your thoughts 👇
And look, this isn't a hard and fast thing - some women won't want a doula for any myriad of reasons, and as someone who has spent the better part of $20k on birth support over the last couple of babies, believe me when I say I truly understand the costs involved and the sacrifices required to make it happen.
Being in a midwifery continuity of care model is fkn fantastic AND it doesn't negate the role of a doula as part of your birth support.
I understand the instinct to save the money because you have continuity from your care provider, I really do. But if you wanted a doula initially and have budgeted accordingly, it is absolutely still worth doing.
Doulas do not work for the system. They only work for you. Your midwife could be the absolute best in the business and there would still be a role for your doula in your support. I've been at the side of women whose midwives have had to swap out because they hit their hour limit on shift. I've watched the relief in the eyes of women and partners when they've asked if I have to go too and I say HELL NO we're about to have a baby 😂
Regardless of how incredible your midwife is, you are still walking into a system to birth where doula support can mean a huge difference. And even if you're at home with a private midwife, a doula is still an incredible addition to a birth team! Someone to swap out with your partner in prolonged early labour, someone to hold you spirituality while your midwife needs to put her clinician hat on to ensure the safety of you and your baby, someone to witness your transition from maiden to mother... It's hard to express in words just how valuable the right doula support can be.
All this to say - if you've budgeted and planned on a doula and since reconsidered because you've been given a place with MGP, may I gently suggest thinking that over very carefully.
Do you agree?
