Doulas and Health Insurance

Doulas are becoming a more common part of American childbirth. The book Brought to Bed: Childbearing in America, 1750 to 1950, features first-hand accounts behind the grim reality of giving birth in the old days. One woman wrote that, months after giving birth in a hospital, she would “wake up remembering that lonely labor room and just feeling no one cared what happened to me, no one kind reassuring word was spoken by nurse or doctor. I was treated as if I was an inanimate object.” That’s where doulas come in. They've become a source of support during birth at home and hospital. This results in a more positive birthing experience as well as healthier mothers and babies. As more Americans learn about doulas, demand for their services grows. Especially in the black community. While enlisting a doula to help through the birthing process sounds like a great idea, it brings up an important question.