Have you been thinking about hiring a doula? While most clients reach out when they are already 5-6 months along, there are quite a few reasons we encourage booking early (we usually suggest around 3 months). While it's totally fine to hire a doula any time before your labour, we strongly suggest booking sooner than later.
Here are a few reasons why!
1 - You will have a greater number of doulas to choose from! Doulas take on a limited number of births per month. Therefore, as you get closer to your due date it is less likely that you will have a wide variety of doulas to choose from. For this reason, booking earlier will ensure that you can interview and choose from a greater number of doulas with availability.
2 - You can spread your prenatal appointments out over a longer period of time. Why does this matter? Trust us, trying to cram all of those last minute appointments in during the final month of pregnancy can be very stressful! Booking your doula and scheduling your appointments earlier will prevent you from trying to crowd too many appointments into the last few weeks of pregnancy, which tends to be a busy time.
3 - More support! This is a big one. The longer that you have a doula the more support you will receive! Nurtured birth provides unlimited texting and emailing between appointments which allows you to bring up questions and concerns as they come up during your pregnancy.
4 - You will have a longer period of time to establish a connection with your doula! Speaking on the phone, emailing, and meeting for prenatal appointments all help you establish trust and connection with your doula. The more connected you feel, the more safe and supported you will feel. And we want you to feel as safe and confident during your pregnancy and birth as possible!
5 - Your doula will be able to refer you to amazing practitioners and community groups when you need them most. We have an excellent referral list for everything from Naturopathic Doctors, Massage Therapists and Osteopaths to Lactation consultants and Pelvic Floor Specialists. Booking your doula early means that we can suggest referrals when you need them the most!
Did we miss anything? What are your reasons for hiring a doula sooner than later?
Ottawa Doulas Julia Davie, Michele Appleby and Kaylee Cumming service the Ottawa and Gatineau area. As passionate birth workers it is our mission to support you in having an empowered and transformative birth experience. Interested in scheduling in for a doula discovery call with a member from our team? Contact us to book your free call!
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