“In the middle of my first pregnancy, I went for an anatomy scan that nearly everyone gets at the 20-week mark. Mothers tend to be nervous and excited for this moment — while you get to see your baby, the scan also checks whether everything is working well. At mine, my doctor told me matter-of-factly, ‘Your baby is measuring small,'” Francie Webb writes over at Elle. “She put me on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. I was terrified, but I knew there was somebody I could invite onto my team who could help me through. As I sat home 24/7, waiting for my baby to grow like an incubator, I used the time to research and interview doulas. Once I hired our doula Karla, she quickly made all the difference. Every time I was anxious about something being wrong with my baby or fearful something would go wrong with the birth, she not only reassured me but equipped me with knowledge to empower myself and my growing family. Because of her, I found I was one of the only people at my new-mom support groups who was satisfied with her birth experience. … Not only did it change the course of my life — I made a career change and became a doula myself — but I also promised myself I would never give birth without a doula again. Three children later, I haven’t. … And while doulas can provide one kind of support, there are other low-cost and no-cost options available to assist in anyone in their birthing experience. Finances are a common stressor for many people preparing to have a baby; it can often feel like you’re bleeding money. But in the doula world, we try our best to connect people with services and resources that make a massive difference and require a relatively low financial investment. The guide below contains some of my favorite resources for people having babies, so you can get the care you need and deserve.” Francie Webb, “Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum: Your Guide to Accessing Free and Low-Cost Care,” Elle.
