100% worth getting one. There are hospitals where the midwives will not present all the time if they are very busy and will spend their time going from room to room and will sometimes leave the woman on her own. I know someone who’s midwife went out the room thinking she still had time to go, the baby came out and had the cord wrapped around it’s neck and because she was on her own and it wasnt removed immediately on delivery the baby suffered from lack of oxygen and is now severely brain damaged.
Obviously that it is an extreme story, but these things happen and a woman should never ever be left on her own during labour. Besides for the fact that the midwives are not always able to be there emotionally for the woman and emotional support during such a difficult time is very important which is why i think a doula is so important. If someone can’t afford a doula and can take a family member instead then that’s also ok but there should always be someone who will accompany and be there at all times.
From my own experience, I was told beforehand i’d need the doctors in the room during my labour and delivery because of a known complication and when i got to the hospital and the labour started progressing fast I kept asking where the doctors were, and all i got from the midwives was they’re busy they’ll be here soon. It was very worrying as they were supposed to be there already and this was where my doula came in very handy – she realised how important it was that the doctors be there and threatened to press the emergency button if they didn’t call the doctors immediately – I probably would have just continued worrying but relied on the midwives – something i shouldnt have had to do as it was complicated delivery and the midwives were not experienced at all. So because of my doula the doctors came immediately and bh all went smoothly.