Doula Recommendation?

[hkexpat2010]

Hi,

My husband and I recently decided we want to try for a natural, unmedicated birth plan. We're thinking of using a doula as part of the plan.

Can anyone recommend their doula? I'd love to hear recommendations and more details on the experience with a doula. In general, I've heard Mother's Touch and Annerely have experienced doulas.

Some questions....
How often do you see the doula before birth?
Was your doula able to do into the birth with you?
If you deliver at Matilda, is the midwife/nurse in the room with you all the time as a doula would be?
Did anyone use a birthing pool before going to the hospital?

Any tips and advice would be great!

 

[ozmerc]

I am using Hulda from Annerley - and because she's a midwife I could also do my antenatal checks with her too. So I would go in for my monthly check and also discuss the birth with her at the same time.

 

[k8h]

Hi

I'm also using Hulda for the birth of my 1st baby in Sept. I also really liked Kathy from Mother's Touch, who has special focus in massage therapy and calm birth techniques. What swung it for me, is that I also wanted a medical professional so I could labour as long as possible at home before going to public hospital to deliver - Hulda is able to monitor baby and mother's heart beat and I liked the idea of having midwife and doula exeprtise combined. If I was going private - I might think about this requirement differently. I am not able to have Hulda in the delivery room as I'm in public hospital but still believe in the benefits of experiencing most of the labour at home.

Would love to hear from others using doulas in Hong Kong and their experience too.

 

[hkexpat2010]

Ok, thanks for sharing! I've kind of decided not to look into Hulda since she doesn't go to the hospital with you, but I'm meeting Liz and Kathy to find out more about their services.

Has anyone been able to get their insurance to cover doula services, antenatal parenting classes, prenatal massage, etc?

 

[ozmerc]

Hulda does go to hospital with you - but if you are birthing in a public hospital they won't let any doula in to accompany you.

 

[hkexpat2010]

Ok, thanks. I heard Hulda couldn't go into Matilda to help with the delivery any longer.

 

[Gracey]

I checked at Baptist hospital. They said that they don't allow outside doulas or midwives into the laboring / delivery rooms.
They can help you in early pregnancy / after the birth if you are in a private room, though.

 

[ozmerc]

They allow them for private room patients at Union.

 

[edaizie]

I was at Matilda for the birth of our first baby and they allow you to have your doula + 1 other person with you through the entire time you are laboring (a godsend for me, since it was ~30hrs!). Public hospitals do not allow you to have anyone with you in the early stages of your labor and then you can only have 1 person (baby daddy or doula, not both) when you are far enough along. The key there is to go in as late as possible!!!

I was originally working with Hulda, but late in my pregnancy when I finally got into Matilda, I found out that Hulda could no longer accompany you at Matilda. I was lucky to find Liz and Kathy at such a late date, and when I finally went into labor, Kathy was tremendously helpful in assisting me throughout the long labor. I definitely would not have made it that long without her! Having a doula made all the difference!

 

[Jzlyn]

I had Hulda for the birth if my baby girl in Feb this year. We wanted to spend the least amount of time at the hospital prior to the actual birth as possible mainly because the nurses will want to make you lie down as much as possible so that they can strap the baby heart rate monitor to you. Like the others have mentioned, Hulda was able to check my dilation and monitor the baby's heartbeat. We only left at the very last minute, my hubby drove us from Tung Chung to Matilda, thereafter even though Hulda couldn't be with us, Nurse Wendy (if I remember correctly) took over. She was a star too.

A Mother's Touch was newly set up at that time, for us there wasn't really a choice. I have since attended baby massage classes and mums & babes group hosted by Liz. She's a very warm and lovely lady, a motherly figure. If we have our second, I'd probably engage Liz given that she can be with us all in the hospital. Plus location wise, she's only 5 mins from our current place!
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