When the fit hits the shan… The value of doulas in times of uncertainty

And just like that, within a matter of a few days, our lives have been turned upside down. An unsettling time indeed, especially for families with looming due dates. The doula community is banding together and updating each other on ever-changing hospital guidelines, brainstorming creative ways to continue supporting clients in the event where our presence is not accepted at the chosen place of birth, and those of us with “less -than-iron-clad” contracts are starting to sweat as clients start inquiring about reimbursement policies.

If I wasn’t a doula, I would find it easy to understand why a client would seek to be reimbursed. If we look at it through the lens that we are accustomed to, it only makes sense- a client pays for a service, the expected service will not be rendered, so the client shouldn’t pay for it. The problem with looking at the situation through this optic is the assumption of what the service actually is. The service that I sell is not one that can be measured by outcomes.

If a client comes to me, with the deepest wish of an unmedicated vaginal birth and factors beyond our control bring us to a cesarean section, did I fail to provide my service? The fact of the matter is that the most valuable aspects of my service are preparation and support. I measure the success of my job based on how my clients feel about their birth stories, and if they felt prepared and supported, I know that I served them in the best of my ability.

In the face of adversity, I see doulas doing what we do best, adapting to situations as they arise, and providing unwavering support to our clients. I will continue to sleep with my phone next to my head, I will hear your fears and concerns, I will hold you in my thoughts and heart day in and day out, and I will continue to hold space for your birth story to unfold in the way that it was meant to. You may not know that this is what you are paying for when you hire me, but I know that it is the most valuable part of my job.