In the journey of pregnancy and childbirth many mothers often seek support and guidance beyond the clinical realm. Doulas have historically supported mothers and even fathers on their journey by providing unwavering emotional and physical support before, during, and after childbirth. In a world where medical expertise meets compassionate care, doulas create a unique niche, distinct from midwives or medical professionals.This article will guide you through common questions and help new parents in their journey to hire a Kansas City doula.

What is a doula?

According to WebMD “A doula provides emotional and physical support to you before, during, and after your pregnancy and childbirth. Doulas aren’t medical professionals. They don’t deliver babies or provide medical advice or medical care. Doulas assist and advocate for the birthing parent.”

What is the difference between a doula and a midwife?

Midwives are trained healthcare providers who can oversee pregnancy labor, and birth. Doulas, on the other hand, aren’t clinical professionals. A good way to think of it is that a midwife is a healthcare professional and a doula is a childbirth coach. Midwives and doulas can work together with you but a doulas role is to be a point of support for the mother and help both parents be an advocate for themselves – When starting your search for a Kansas City doula keep in mind that they will not and should not speak on a parents behalf but they will help you speak up for yourself and encourage you to pause and not make rushed decisions in the rush of the moment.

When should I hire a doula?

The earlier you hire a doula the earlier your pregnancy support begins. As soon as you think you might want to hire a doula you should research, interview, and start the hiring process. Many doulas offer additional support through birth education classes and other benefits that you may want to take advantage of earlier in your pregnancy. Here in Kansas City, doulas will often book up early so it is important to start your search as early on as possible.

What are some of the services doulas offer?

The level of service is going to vary from doula to doula. Most commonly there are two types of Doula’s – birth doula and postpartum doula. 

Some additional services Doula’s may offer include:

• Birth Education Classes
• Massage therapy
• Robozo work
• Nutrition 
• Yoga or other exercise services
• Lactation counseling 
• Birth Photography
• Placenta Encapsulation

What are the benefits of hiring a doula?

Statistics show that hiring a doula can benefit a mother in multiple ways

• 39% decrease in the risk of a Cesarean
• 15% increase in the likeliness of having a spontaneous vaginal birth
• 10% decrease in the use of medications
• Shortens labor by an average of 41 minutes
• 38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five minute Apgar score
• 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience

While there are many benefits to hiring a doula, mothers who wish to have a low to no intervention birth can greatly benefit from having a doula there to advocate for during their most vulnerable time.

Do I need a doula if I have a partner or parent?

Partners and parents can definitely provide support for a mother during labor and delivery. However they are less likely to be well versed and knowledgeable about birth, medical procedures, or what goes on in a hospital or at home during a birth. A doula will know the birth mothers wishes and will approach it without bias while someone who is close to you may feel more comfortable pushing your birth plan to the side. Secondly, a partner or parent is also going through an emotional journey and ideally having a doula can help your partner and/or other support person in creating a support team for the mother so she will have someone through the entire experience there to help.

How much does a doula cost?

The cost of a doula is going to vary depending on the level of service offered. Generally speaking a Kansas City doula services start at $800 but can go up to $2,000 or more. The average cost in Missouri and Kansas is $1,500. It is best not to hire a doula on cost alone. While that certainly is an important factor for many expecting parents you’ll want to make sure your decision isn’t driven by price alone. Many Kansas City doulas offer payment plans.

What questions should I ask when looking for a doula?

When searching for a Kansas City doula I think it is important to interview more than one before making a decision. You’ll want to work with someone you feel comfortable with. But what questions should you ask when talking to doulas? Childbirth Connections has put together a great guide of questions to ask when interviewing doulas. Click here to access their guide.

Does insurance cover the cost of a doula?

Currently insurance companies will not outright cover doula services. Most likely you’ll be responsible for the cost. However you can always submit a bill to your insurance after and see if they will reimburse. 

If you have a HSA or FSA they will cover 100% of your doula services – you may be asked to submit a letter from your provider.

If you are insured through Medicaid or Tricare there are some instances where your doula services will be covered 100%. Your doula must be approved by your insurance company so you’ll want to ask before hiring a doula if they are already pre approved to work with your insurance. Plans on the Missouri side that cover approved doulas are Blue Cross Blue Shield and Healthy Blue. On the Kansas side the only plan that covers approved doulas is United Healthcare.

Are doulas only for unmedicated labors?

Here in Kansas city, doulas offer support for any and every type of delivery, not just unmedicated. They will go to home births, birthing centers, and hospitals. Even if you are choosing to birth with medication they are there to support your entire journey and provide education and knowledge to support whichever path you choose to take.

If you’re still looking for provider care for your pregnancy I’ve put together a complete guide on where to have a baby in KC.

My personal recommendations for Kansas City doulas

Tiny Hearts LLC

Lucie a St Joseph based doula who services the Kansas City metro and is the owner of Tiny Hearts LLC. Her top three services in addition to doula include:

• Holistic Christian based educational classes both private and in group settings.
• Birth, maternity, fresh postpartum, and prenatal photography services connected with doula support.
• Personal connections and special touches for moms including emotion support, birth debriefing, herbal bath, artisan baked goods, and multilingual.

You can find more information about Lucie and her services through her website.

Native Essence Birth Doula

Emma is a Smithville based doula who services the Kansas City metro and is the owner of Native Essence Birth Doula. Her top three services incude:

• Birth doula support that include homebirths, elective inductions with epidurals at the hospital, and unmedicated hospital birth.
• Placenta Encapsulation that includes an umbilical keepsake, and a tincture.
• Bringing moms their favorite postpartum meal during their postpartum visit.

You can find more information about Emma and her services through her website.

Bloc – Kansas City Doula Team

Bloc is a team of doulas based in Kansas City and serve the metro area. Their services include:

• Birth doula support with a team of doulas.
• Birth education.
• A “choose what you pay” program for families who need financial assistance.

To learn more about the Bloc and their team you can visit their website.

Kansas City doula directory

Lastly, Doula Directory is an online portal that includes several Kansas City doulas and information about them and their services offered. You can access the directory here.

Are you an expecting mother in Kansas City and interested in documenting your birth story or newborn?

Hi, I’m Goldie a professional photographer that specializes in newborn and birth photography. For more information about my services click here.