Birth Doula Services
Your sense of safety and security are prioritized during the birth experience. My approach focuses on gentle guidance, reassurance, and mindful support, ensuring you receive exactly what you need in those crucial moments. By embracing mindfulness and staying committed to the present, I can help make the birthing process feel natural and instinctive. Together, we can create an embodied and beautiful welcome for your baby into the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
“What is a birth doula?”
According to DONA (Doulas of North America) International’s definition, a birth doula is “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to their client before, during, and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. They nurture, support, and offer expert guidance for families during their pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum time.”
“Why would someone want a birth doula?”
Any birthing person can hire a birth doula for a number of reasons, including their birth being less likely to need Pitocin, less likely to need pain medication, less of a likelihood of a caesarean section, and more than likely to rate their birth experience as positive. They also lessen the chance of premature deliveries and can shorten the length of labor.
A birth doula is not only utilized for natural, unmedicated, and/or vaginal births. They can be of great assistance whether pain medications are used or not and are priceless during scheduled and unplanned caesarean sections as well as other interventions.
Birth doulas have been proven to improve breastfeeding success if that is the chosen method of feeding.
Doulas do not express their own opinions. They act with your values, wishes, and best interests in mind, and serve as an unbiased resource.
“How are you different from a midwife?”
A birth doula’s scope is limited to physical and emotional support during pregnancy and throughout the birthing process, while a midwife provides medical care.
A midwife’s goal is to ensure the physical and emotional health of the birthing person and baby throughout labor and delivery. Some midwives are also trained nurses, and most midwives have undergone at least some medical training.
A birth doula does not perform any medical tasks and is hands off except when providing hands-on pain relief measures to keep the client comfortable and calm. They can also help with breathing, massage, relaxation, and optimal positions for labor and pushing. A birth doula is like a coach.
“What is the scope of a birth doula’s services?”
Birth doulas offer physical support, emotional support, partner support, and evidence-based information and advocacy.
A birth doula’s hands-on comfort measures and other approaches can help a poorly positioned baby, make labor progress, and ease pain, anxiety, and stress.
Emotional support comes from a place of nurturing and connection. Birth doulas help both the birthing person and partner feel supported and make the emotional experience of birth less overwhelming. They create a space of safety for birth hormones to work at their best.
Physical and emotional support is of great assistance to birth partners as well. Doulas work with partners to alternate care and aid them with being as involved as they would like during labor and delivery. A doula is not intended to replace the birth partner but work in collaboration. A birth doula can be the primary source of support if a partner is absent.
The evidence-based information and advocacy enable families to ask the right questions of their providers and make informed decisions about their care. Birth doulas can be a bridge of communication between the client and their provider so the chance of the very best care is improved.
“Can I hire you as both my birth and postpartum doula?”
​
Yes! I would be honored to help you through these transitions, and I know some folx feel best having the same doula for continuity of care, familiarity, trust, and comfort. Please see the details of my postpartum doula services here.
“When should I start the doula interview process?”
As soon as possible! Ideally, a client will have established a relationship with a doula at least three months before their due date.
“How many prenatal visits are included in the package?”
Two prenatal visits are included with the option to pay for additional visits upon request. These visits are important for getting to know you and your partner, going over any fears or concerns, offering pregnancy and childbirth education, discussing your plans for an unmedicated or medicated birth, learning about your typical methods for handling stress and pain, introducing ideal laboring positions and comfort measures, and developing a birth plan.
Additional topics include:
-
​Helping clients gain a better understanding of the procedures and possible complications in late pregnancy or delivery
​
-
The preference for perineal massage, warm compresses, lubrication, or other measures to reduce the likelihood of vaginal tearing
​
-
Do you wish to delay cord clamping and is your partner planning on cutting the cord?
​
-
Do you want the baby placed on your chest right after birth?
​
-
Do you wish to delay temperature checks, body weight checks, and newborn bathing immediately after birth?
-
Will you bank your baby's umbilical cord blood?​
​
-
Are you interested in placenta encapsulation?​​​​​
“If you support a birth, what is your hourly clause?”
Once I have reached 12 hours of birth support, a backup doula is brought in to assist. If you are still in labor after 24 hours, I will rejoin you to resume your care.
“When does labor support begin?”
Labor support begins once a client is in active labor. A feeling of "lightening" (baby dropping lower into your pelvis), Braxton Hicks, loss of a mucous plug/bloody show, and an unstable pattern of contractions do not require a doula’s care. Contractions that are eased or go away with movement and changing positions is not active labor. If you are still able to talk during contractions, then it's not quite time to bring in your doula.
​
A good rule of thumb to determine if you are actively laboring is the "5-1-1" rule: your contractions are every 5 minutes and last 1 minute for 1 hour.
Once active labor begins, a doula is on call 24/7 for those who have gone into labor or were induced.
“In case of an emergency or illness, do you have any backup doulas?”
Yes! Rest assured, there will always be someone on call to respond if necessary. These alternates will be in touch with you before the due date month to ensure compatibility and comfort levels.
​
“What are your rates?”
​
Pricing begins at $1,000.00. Birth doula packages are unique and tailored to each client. Therefore, rates are considerate of your specific needs and offered upon inquiry.
