Services
As Your Doula, I Do Not:
Free Consultation
This gives you a chance to ask any questions you may have about what a doula can offer you for your birth experience. Come with an open mind and learn. We can meet wherever you would feel the most comfortable.
2 Prenatal Visits
We will have two 1 hour visits prior to your due date to discuss your wishes for your birth, develop your birth plan, knowing the difference between real labor and false labor and address any other concerns you may have. These visits are a great opportunity for your partner to be involved and learn as well.
Phone & Email Support
From the day you accept me as your doula, I will be available via email and phone. You will be able to reach me with questions or concerns and we can talk about them and work through them together. We will discuss this subject more in our prenatal visits.
During Labor and Delivery
Once labor begins or you have questions about whether you might be in labor, I will be available to you. I will come to you when you ask whether it is at your home or the hospital. During this time, I will be available to do whatever you need physically or emotionally for both you and your partner throughout the entire labor and delivery process. I will also mark milestones so we can talk about them at our postpartum visit to help "fill in the blanks" about your birth.
Early Postpartum Period
After the delivery of your baby, I will still be there to support you and celebrate with you and your family. I will help you with getting breastfeeding going (if you are choosing to do so). I can also take a few pictures of your new baby and your new family as well if you would like.
Community Referrals
If you are looking for community resources for assistance, I have available to you a list of area resources. If I don't have a listing of services you are looking for, we can do research together to find the assistance you need. I update my list as frequently as possible to ensure I have accurate information to share with you.
Perform any clinical tasks
It is out of the scope of practice for a doula to give medical advice or perform any medical tasks. If you have any concerns about your medical health, I will encourage you to speak to your healthcare provider or midwife(if you are having a midwife).
Make decisions for you
As a doula, I will not make decisions for you on how you want your birth to go. I will ensure you have good and current information about your options so you have the confidence to make informed decisions about your care. Your birth is yours and it's important for you to make the decisions about it.
Speak to the staff on your behalf
As a doula, I believe in the power of self-advocacy and listening to your inner voice and instincts. Making your wishes known through sharing your birth plan with everyone in your healthcare team and making wishes known beyond the birth plan is so important. It's your birth so make it yours! We will work together to make your wishes known, but you are the one that needs to speak about those wishes.
Project any of my own beliefs onto your experience
Every birth is different. My experience will be different from yours and that is just fine. It is not my place or right to project my beliefs about the birth experience onto you, your partner and your family. I am there to help you tell your birth story and support you all the way from beginning to end. I will support you in any decisions you make along the way.
Postpartum follow-up visit
A few days after the arrival of your baby, I will come and see you at your home to see how you and baby are doing. We can discuss any concerns you may be having. We will also go over any notes I took during labor, delivery and early postpartum to help fill in the blanks of the birth that you may not remember. This will be our chance to tell your birth story so you will be able to share it with others in the future. We can discuss how many postpartum visits you would like to have during our prenatal visits. Just because the birth is over doesn't mean my support ends. We will mutually agree when my services end.