I recently found this in response to a query about finding doulas on a local expectant mother listserv:
Word to the wise...when choosing a doula, make sure that the contract you sign does not state that they can keep your money (or half of it) if you end up going into pre-term labor or have a c-section.
Not taking anything away from the mother who went through this, but is a doula really irrelevant within the confines of a cesarean section? While I understand that many hospitals have in place protocols that allow for only one support person in the operating room, can a doula enhance your experience when you have a cesarean birth?
According to this checklist on Pregnancy Today, a doula can help in many ways though the process of cesarean; be it scheduled or emergency. If the doula is comfortable with the process and knowledgeable, she can in fact enhance the process. For many families they are so wholey unprepared so it can be a blessing to have an objective support person there who is not part of the medical team to help guide you and your partner through the process. Here is one mother's story about how her doula facilitated her cesarean birth. She was thankful for her doula.
So perhaps instead of amending the contract to state that the doula will not get paid in the case of the cesarean birth, you should have an open and honest conversation with the doula you are interviewing about her services if you end up with a cesarean. Many mature and responsible doulas are able to work with clients appropriately and interface with the hospital staff to make the process a little less scary and clinical.
