Probably not! Even if your due date is fast approaching, you can likely still hire a labor doula to support you every step of the way.
When I took my doula training course we were told that most people hire doulas in their 7th or 8th month. Here in New York City I’ve seen that most of my clients reach out to me much sooner than that. That said, I also hear about a lot of mamas who only became wise to the whole “doula thing” toward the very end of their pregnancies. Assuming it’s too late, many of these mamas figure labor doula support is just something they’ll do next time around.
Because of the way doula work works, many of us do have last minute availability. For instance, one of my mamas who was due in September delivered in August, opening up a spot for another mama-to-be. And if you’re worried that you wouldn’t have enough time to really connect with a doula who you hired within weeks of your birth, you can probably let that go. Aubrey, one of my clients who shared a birth story on this blog, and I only met a few days before her birth. Her original doula had a death in the family and I stepped in. We clicked immediately, and continue to stay in touch. In the realm of birth, life-long connections are made at warp speed. I had another client who I actually met when she was in labor. That client went into premature labor at 34 weeks before hiring a doula. Her amazing sister set about calling around to see if she could find a doula available at a moments notice, and found me. When I went to meet the mama-to-be she was already laboring in the hospital so I literally didn’t speak to her (aside from “breathe, breathe…” and “you’re doing great!”) until after she pushed her baby out, and it was nonetheless a wonderful experience all the way around.
So if you’re close to your due date, but want a doula at your side, know that in most cases that is still not only possible, but a wonderful idea. You can learn more about my doula services here, or by sending an email to hello@holisticdoulanyc.com. Here’s to your beautiful birth!
