I feel like a whole new world (don't you dare close your eyes!) has opened up to me once I got on mommy/pregnancy forums. Midwives? Doulas? Hypnobirthing? What is all this stuff?

I read up a little on doulas, and essentially, they are a sort of labor coach (am I right?). They act as a sort of liaison between you and the medical staff to make sure your birth plan is followed, and provides motivation/guidance through the entire process.

Did/Do you have a doula? If yes, what helped you decide that this was a good choice for you? Was/is this your first pregnancy?

If no, how did you decide against it? Out of all of my friends who have had kids (all in a hospital), none of them have had doulas. I don't think many of them are even aware of what a doula does.

I'm debating on whether to get one or not. I'd like to go as natural as possible (as natural as one can get in a hospital with an OB), and I don't think that the hubs or my mom could give me the support and guidance that I would need. But, I also think having a doula makes me a diva (I'm not sure why I feel this way?). Thoughts?