“If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it.” John H. Kennell, MD
A doula is a professional childbirth assistant, or birth coach, who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to a mother and her family during pregnancy, labor, and early postpartum.
Also referred to as "labor assistants", or “professional birth coaches” doulas have been shown, in many published studies, to affect many positive outcomes. Click here to see doula benefits, including:
50% reduction in C-section rates
60% reduction in epidural requests
25% reduced labor length
30% reduction in narcotic pain relief requests
Increased maternal satisfaction with birth experience
Increased breastfeeding success
Increased mother-baby bonding
Lower postpartum depression
Please click here to see more about our birth doula packages and pricing.
I specialize in hospital births, providing birth doula care for natural births, induced natural births, VBACs, first-time and repeat births, and support for medicated births and c-sections. As a doula, I don’t bring my own personal agenda to your birth... your birth belongs only to you! My purpose is to support and encourage and empower parents to experience their birth their way, so I strive to find out what you want and then bend over backwards and sideways to help that happen.
I provide continuous emotional and physical support during your labor. A midwife, OB or nurse may provide emotional and physical support, but it is rarely continuous since their primary job is to attend to you medically, and they also have other patients to attend to. As a doula, I do not perform medical tasks or give medical advice. I am hired by you, and do not work for the hospital or the doctor. My responsibility is to the expectant family only. Your birth belongs to you: my highest goal is to meet all of your needs during labor and to ensure that your wishes are carried out.
There are several ways that I ensure that your needs are met: by helping you access your doctor, midwife or nurse to ask questions, by reminding medical care providers of your wishes, and by giving you and your partner reminders of plans you made and ideas for how to accomplish them. I provide physical support by suggesting positions for labor, massaging you if you need or want it, and helping with any other physical comfort measures that you want to use, including use of birthing balls and therapeutic-grade essential oils.
I do not make decisions for you, but I will help you access the information you need to make informed and educated decisions. I discuss your wishes, fears, plans, and hopes in detail with you before the birth. I will meet you at home or in the hospital and support you throughout your entire labor and birth, staying with you until your baby is born and breastfeeding is established. I will follow up with you after the birth to ensure that your transition to parenthood and breastfeeding are going smoothly, and to discuss your birth experience with you.
Doulas In Action
- A beautiful slideshow of doulas in action.
Birth Matters
- This film is dedicated to empower women and families to explore all options for birth. It answers common questions such as: Do doulas support women who want an epidural? How do birth partners and doulas work together? What is your role as a doula? Why do women choose doulas?
Do You Doula?
- Filmed for a video challenge sponsored by Birth Matters Virginia, this seven minute documentary discusses the role of doulas during childbirth.
Please click here to see our birth doula packages and pricing, or contact me to inquire about due-date availability or to schedule a free introductory meeting
