What is the Doulas Relationship with My Hospital?

So often we get asked if we have experience working at a specific hospital in the area. (The short answer is: heck yes we do!) And we believe our clients are asking because they feel worried, anxious, and/or concerned that they won’t be listened to or cared for the way they want in the hospital or by their provider. That is so understandable!! By asking if we have a lot of experience in the hospital they plan to use, they are asking, in a way, if we have relationships or connections that will help them achieve the experience they envision, or if we have intel about their location that will support their experience.

The reality is, while we have experience in all of the hospitals in our area, we do not work for the hospital or the hospital staff. We are independent and hired directly by the client! We have no affiliation with the provider either. This is incredibly important to our role as your Doula. You can trust, without a glimmer of doubt, that the decisions we guide you through, the options we work through together, and the support we offer is solely to benefit Y O U and no other entity. Our role would be fundamentally flawed if at the end of the day we needed to answer to the hospital or your provider.

At the same time, we are certainly not your protector from the hospital or provider. We will support you in advocating for your health and safety. We will witness your experience and hold space for you to ask questions and make your needs known. We will share evidence based education so you can give informed consent. Though we do not view your provider or the hospital as the enemy, by any means. On the contrary, we value the harmony and trust that has been built between the Doula community and the Midwives, OBs, and nurses. The choreography, the intricate scaffolding of support, and the teamwork that happens in the birth room is critical to a positive experience for the client. We encourage open dialogue, honest discussions, and relationship building with the practice you have chosen from early on in the process. And we will support that in any way we can!

If a client comes to us asking about our relationship and experience at a specific hospital and we have little experience there, we can guarantee it will not affect our ability to support you and your childbirth experience. And if we often frequent the hospital you are using, we can guarantee that our past experiences, positive or not, and our personal biases are left at. the. door. to ensure that we can focus solely on your birth and your experience. We work for you. We are there for you.

If you’re looking for a doula who can support you anywhere you end up having a baby, who can guide you in making decisions that benefit you and your baby, who is culturally competent/sensitive, affirming, grounded, and warm as they are strong, consider reaching out to schedule a complimentary consult with a Wyld Doula. And when you’re making a decision about who to hire, remember who the Doula works for... be weary of allegiances to a specific hospital. You already have a provider who is affiliated with your hospital- now you’re looking for a support person who is affiliated with you.

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