Money v sense

Doulas???? I mean, doulas???

I will say, I've never met anyone that has had one, but... doulas?

Ok, so as far as I can tell doulas do pretty much what midwives do (with the added bit of being your extra birth partner), but without any of the medical stuff, and they're your doula, they don't go off and doula someone else. Except, unlike midwives, they cost lots and lots of money. You can have them for advice after the birth as well and I think they look after you rather nicely post-birth but I also believe that's even more expensive.

So if you have vast amounts of money you can have "help", including and not limited to:

Doula. Someone to support you through the birth.

Independent midwife: like a non-independent (aka "free") midwife but there when you need them rather than whoever is on shift.

Post birth doula: supports you postnatally, helps you out generally. Looks after mum. Like the (regular) midwives do normally, but your own one.

Maternity nurse: moves in, does all the night feeds and stuff. Doesn't pay attention to your needs, just the child's. I haven't established if they do the day feeds and all as well, I think that is called...

Nanny: does everything child related. Doesn't look after you though.

To be rich and contemplate such options would be nice, but it seems rather like a complete waste of money as you get assistance anyway. Except the doing-the-night-feeds thing, but hello? Real life?

If I'm going to pay someone to do things for me I would so have a cleaner.

Can I request a cleaner as a gift? No, baby doesn't need anything, thanks, cleaning vouchers would be good, ta.

Possibly I and most people I know are fortunate in the provision of maternity services in our area but I don't follow the logic in paying for these things. Midwives are marvellous and they do the birth support thing for free. I have a plethora of people to call if I have any concerns/major events.

But I'm not rich or of the natural-birth-or-die mentality.