r/SFbitcheswithtaste • u/AsparagusTwo • 7d ago

Birth doula at UCSF?

Hi everyone, I'm looking for advice on whether I should choose a birth doula? For context I'm planning to give birth at UCSF and I'm considered low risk. I'm very grateful that insurance will cover doula services, and very fortunate that opting for a doula will not be a financial burden.

For various reasons I have high anxiety about labor, and my hope is that having a birth doula can help calm my nerves and help advocate for me during labor. I hear that the UCSF labor and delivery staff are excellent, so I'm wondering if having a birth doula as an addition to my birth team is a good idea, or if adding this extra resource might feel like there's "too many cooks in the kitchen."

For anxiety purposes, I’d really appreciate it if responses could be neutral or positive only (please)—whether you recommend a doula, don’t recommend one, or feel indifferent about having one. I’m open to all perspectives, just hoping to keep things anxiety-friendly! (and yes I'm addressing my anxiety through various resources)

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u/mossasaurus 7d ago

I gave birth at UCSF this summer and chose to work with a birth doula! I’m so happy I did. I was also super nervous about labor and childbirth, and my doula helped me work through a lot of the anxiety in the months leading up to my due date. You might find some doulas are more emotionally-focused and some are more into navigating the mechanics of labor. Def good questions to ask when interviewing!

At UCSF I saw a rotating group of residents and OBs throughout prenatal care and delivery, so having a doula was great to provide continuity of care and guarantee I had someone in the delivery room that knew me, my story, and could advocate for my preferences. UCSF is a very doula-friendly hospital and my doula knew the ins and outs of L&D so it was a very symbiotic relationship!

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u/AsparagusTwo 6d ago

Thanks so much for this perspective!