a nice point of view on that delicate topic – money.
Well of course I say they are invaluable; but when clients shrink back a little at the cost of a labor and delivery package I don’t think they truly take into consideration how much work a LD performs.
As an example:
A doula takes your first phone [...]

from Birthing Naturally:
Rebozo
What is a rebozo?
The rebozo is a traditional Mexican shawl that is long enough to wrap around a woman’s body, with a little extra (about 4-5 feet). The rebozo is a multifunction tool for labor, used to assist the mother into various positions and for relaxation. If you do not own a rebozo, [...]

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/09/15/on-birth-and-fog/
On Birth and Fog
posted by lauren on feminniste.us

Mad Men fans have been chattering about Betty’s “dream sequences” in the latest episode, “The Fog,” and at the risk of sounding pedantic I am compelled to clarify at least one thing about Betty’s dreams: They really aren’t dream sequences. Not like Tony Soprano’s.
Let’s break out the [...]

Midwives: A Safe, Cost-Saving Alternative

can you tell us why you chose to have a home birth? Would you do it again? — Mindy Kufahl of Topeka, Kansas
I would definitely choose a homebirth again despite the fear mongering of this patriarchal society, which convinces women that they are incapable of having babies without the intervention of men and their machines.
I [...]

http://celebritybabyscoop.com/2009/09/03/erykah-badu-i-tweeted-between-contractions
Erykah Badu, 38, who gave birth to her third child this past February, recently sat down with Babble on her tour bus bound for Brooklyn to homebirths, veganism, homeschooling and life as a mother to Seven Sirius, 8, Puma Sabit, 5 and 6-month-old Mars Merkaba.
The mom of three, whose children were all born at home, [...]

Trained to provide physical and emotional support to a mother during childbirth, local doula Renee Perkins relies on her “bag of tricks” to ease her client’s pain.
But for some women, rice socks, lollipops or scented massage oils just don’t do the trick.
“There’s a lot of repetitive talk,” said Perkins, 34, who became a certified birth [...]

From: SF Examiner
Why Hiring a Doula is Important
By: Kenya Scott
http://www.examiner.com/x-19367-Atlanta-Attachment-Parenting–Examiner~y2009m8d25-Why-hiring-a-doula-is-important
Research confirms that a doula improves outcomes for mothers and infants. They reduce the likelihood of surgical birth (C-section) and may result in shorter labors with fewer needs for interventions like induction, forceps or vacuum. Mothers who had the assistance of a labor doula were 33% [...]

From: The Huffington Post
When Planning a Pregnancy Can Save a Woman’s Life
By: Dr. Anna Langer
A new UNICEF report released last week is the latest in a series of drumbeats for a concerted, large-scale campaign to save the lives of mothers and newborns worldwide, far too many of whom are dying today from entirely preventable causes. [...]

From: the Huffington Post
by Grant Cardone
My wife and I just gave birth to our first child in the comfort of our home and participated in one of the great miracles of life. The benefits of doing this at home was there were no alarming strangers in hospital garb telling us what to do, no blazing [...]