We've decided against having a doula. Although I think a doula could be very beneficial especially if I want to labor without medication for as long as possible, we simply cannot afford it. The doula we interviewed and liked is about $300 MORE than we were expecting to pay. Other doulas fees range from $350 to about $550. With the price of the birth itself we cannot justify the cost.
I've been reading a book I bought for Mark called The Birth Partner to see if I can learn anything to help myself. We are also taking child birth classes to prepare us.