Fadilah Sumaiya Bey

Unfortunately, my experience with this doula was extremely disappointing and unprofessional. Over the entire nine months of my pregnancy, I only received three visits with my doula. More importantly, when it came time for the birth of my baby—the primary event for which I hired a doula—she did not show up at the hospital. I was informed on the day of my induction that she had accepted a new job and would not be able to miss work. My biggest concern is not simply that circumstances changed; it is that this information was not communicated to me in a timely or transparent manner. Had I known ahead of time that she would be unable to attend my birth, I would have had the opportunity to make other arrangements and secure the support I was expecting and paying for. I also believe the services provided fell significantly short of what was agreed upon in our contract, particularly with respect to the expected support surrounding the birth. A professional should communicate promptly when they become aware that they cannot fulfill an important contractual obligation. Giving birth is an incredibly important and vulnerable experience, and I hired a doula specifically so that I would have reliable support during that time. Finding out on the actual day of my baby’s birth that my doula would not be there was extremely upsetting and left me feeling that the commitment made to me was not honored. I would strongly encourage anyone considering hiring this doula to carefully review the contract, clarify exactly what happens if the doula becomes unavailable, and make sure there is a clear backup plan in place.

- Cherrell H.