The doula who is teaching our prenatal classes is a family friend/acquaintance who we respect and admire. She has offered us her services for a deeply discounted rate, and we feel pretty good about the idea of having a doula attend our birth. We're having a hospital birth, attended by midwives instead of an OB (as long as things go well).

What were your experiences like with a doula? Would you recommend one? Anyone have any regrets?