Doula Recommendation?

[hkexpat2010]

Thanks for providing the latest info on Matilda and doulas, Edaizie!

I also liked Kathy and Liz from Mother's Touch alot when I met them. I'm still doing a cost benefit analysis given that there are so many unknown factors (ie how long labor will last, chances of my husband traveling at that time, likelihood of getting a good midwife vs a bad one at Matilda, possibility of c-section needed, etc). Doulas in the US are typically around 3000-4000HKD and up, but in Hong Kong hiring a doula is a fair chunk of money...

 

[Lali07]

Doula

Brooke from Gravida is lovely. I did my childbirth education classes with her, and she has since started offering doula and birth support services. She is kind and calm, but also knows a lot about natural birth and nursing. I wish I'd been able to have her at my birth back home. I think doulas are especially helpful not only for the Mum, but the Dad also! Her contact details are on her site http://www.yourgravida.com/ once you meet her you'll know what I mean

 

[hkexpat2010]

Update: I ended up having Kathy Kitzis from A Mother's Touch as my doula. I can't recommend her highly enough! I also took Kathy's Calmbirth class as we were aiming for a natural, unmedicated birth plan. However, due to high blood pressure and some other medical issues, I was induced and finally had an emergency c-section. Thankfully, our little one was born healthy!

Despite the final outcome, I did labor naturally with no drugs for quite awhile and Kathy was invaluable during that time. She was a calm, positive, and supportive force in a difficult situation. To be honest, she did a much better job keeping me relaxed and helping me get through the pain than my husband did, but she is the expert I think it helped alot that she is a massage therapist, too!

Kathy was great before the birth, too. As different issues arose, I always felt comfortable calling and discussing my options with her. She was a great sounding board and very supportive, especially since my husband was out of town when some of the problems began.

If we decide to have #2 in Hong Kong and are able to have a natural birth, I would definitely have Kathy as my doula again! Although hiring a doula here is a fair chunk of change, it was worth every penny for me.