As a doula I provide education, physical and emotional support, and am an on-call resource for the couple.
My Services
Access to me as an on-call resource throughout your pregnancy
Access to my lending library of books and DVDs
A 10% discount on any childbirth education classes through A Brighter Birth
Guidance and assistance with birth plan development
2 prenatal appointments: 1 virtual (where you can meet my experienced backup doulas) and 1 in your home (where we address any outstanding concerns and review your birth preferences and goals)
I am on-call 24/7 from 2 weeks before your estimated due date until baby is born.
I provide continuous labor support. I am in phone contact with you during early labor and join you when you decide you need in-person support. I meet you at your home or your birth location and provide physical and emotional assistance to you and your partner during labor. I can offer comfort measures, give positioning suggestions, and help facilitate decision making with regard to your unique birth preferences and goals. I provide consistent support throughout your labor and delivery, and I remain with you 1-2 hours postpartum to help initiate breastfeeding and remedy any immediate postpartum issues.
I provide 1 in-home postpartum meeting to process your birth and address any postpartum recovery, newborn care, or feeding concerns
Ongoing support and encouragement in parenting during the first year of baby's life
Investment: $1,400
How I Support You
I support the family unit as a whole by providing education, giving physical and emotional support, and acting as an on-call resource. I help normalize pregnancy and answer questions about prenatal care. I offer resources that help guide you in the creation of your birth plan. When you need a listening ear, I’m here for you. The practical side of continuous labor support takes many forms. I like to say I manage the environment: I ensure lighting is low, use aromatherapy to help with nausea or anxiety, offer a hand massage, put on a playlist of the person's choosing, etc. I suggest different positions to allow for progression, offer pain management techniques, and give encouragement. During a contraction I may be using counterpressure techniques and repeating affirmations in a calm, soothing tone. Between the contractions I may be holding the laboring person's water bottle to her lips to encourage hydration, wiping her forehead with a cool washcloth dipped in my special essential oil blend (people always say I make the room smell like a spa), and making sure the partner is also staying hydrated/eating/taking breaks. I know how to read a room and fill in any gaps as needed.
Empowering & Supporting
I believe that birth can and should be a truly amazing experience. I want you to feel prepared for and excited about the birth of your baby. I seek to help you navigate your options to make informed decisions that work well for your family and your goals. I want you to feel empowered to make decisions for yourselves and feel confident in your abilities. I work for you, and I don’t have an agenda aside from making sure you are seen and heard.
Being Present
Sometimes all you need is someone to show up without judgment and sit with you. This type of holding space helps to ground and center the woman in labor. As a doula, I deliberately put aside my opinions and biases and am fully present. I listen. I am physically with you in your time of need, not to fix problems or take it away, but to ensure you are not alone.
Peace & Security
Even after attending birth classes and reading books, when you are in labor (or the person you love is in pain), it is hard to draw on that knowledge– you need to have an experienced professional who is able to direct you and allow you to focus on the task at hand. I often get asked if this is what the nurse or midwife does, and it can be to an extent, but this is not their job. Members of the healthcare team have policies to adhere to and other tasks to perform. They can be present and help normalize/advocate/support only if they don’t have other patients or all their required work is done. You also don’t necessarily know who will be with you when you are in labor (or they may switch shifts in the middle of your labor). So I provide consistency, familiarity, and a sense of security with my presence.
