Holistic Doula

GIVE BIRTH WITH CONFIDENCE!

Your birth should be an empowered experience…. from start to finish.  From the moment you decide or find out that you are going to have a child, until you’re tucked in at home snuggled in to get to know your baby, you should feel listened to, honored, and well taken care of.  A birth doula is there from the beginning to support, listen, and witness this amazing thing you are doing and creating.As doulas, we honor the mother’s, and family’s, choices, whatever they may be.  There is no agenda, other than making sure the whole family feels well cared for.

CONSULT REQUEST

Sometimes that takes the role of primary birth support person – hands on, locked eyes, reminding every few minutes about breathing and relaxation.  Other times, it is of witness – holding back, listening and watching;  coaching the partner from afar.  Most often it is a combination of these things.  Allowing the parents to work together and stepping in with a set of extra hands, or new idea for positioning to make things easier/faster/slower. With every birth, your doula is there as an advocate – working with family and care providers to assure you have all the most accurate information, and that your wishes are heard and considered.  I care about informed consent, how ever it is defined by you.  One of the primary goals is to care for the mother’s emotional health and enhance her ability to have positive birth memories. As a birth doula, I provide:

doula Katy with laboring mother at hospital

Wellness Support

  • Supporting mothers with health concerns before, during and after pregnancy.
  • 90-minutes of dedicated health coaching.
  • Specializing in:
    • pre-conception,
    • having a healthy pregnancy
    • pregnancy-supporting food choices
    • common pregnancy symptoms and concerns
    • recovery after birth
    • building resiliency for a healthy and vibrant postpartum
  • Ongoing and continuous support for healthy childbearing years

Physical Support

  • Offering soothing touch through the use of massage, counter pressure, or a rebozo.
  • Creating a calm, safe environment, like dimming lights, adding warmth, or aromas as desired.
  • Supporting mothers with comfort measures such as water therapy, movement, and positioning.
  • Assisting the birthing person in walking to and from the bathroom, through the halls, or as needed.
  • providing/offering food and drinks.

Informational Support

  • Helping with coping techniques – such as breathing, movement, relaxation, and positioning.
  • Helping decide when to head to the hospital or birth center.
  • When safe, helping to stay at home ‘as long as possible’.
  • Helping them find evidence-based resources about their options in pregnancy and birth.
  • Helping explain medical procedures before or as they occur; helping to translate, or slow down the conversation.
  • Supporting the partner, such as reassuring and informing them on the different sounds of labor, offering them space and time to rest, eat, get fresh air, etc…

Emotional Support

  • Working prenatally to identify mother’s hopes, values, and fears surrounding pregnancy, labor and birth, parenting, and family dynamics.
  • Continuous presence and encouragement, keeping company.
  • Accepting what the birthing person wants.
  • Helping the birthing person see themselves or their situation more positively
  • Offering praise and reassurance, helping work through fears and self-doubt.
  • Showing a caring attitude.
  • Listening to the mother with empathy.

Advocacy

  • Asking the mother what they want.
  • Encouraging questions and being clear about wishes and preferences.
  • Support of clients wishes, above all.
  • Amplifying the mother’s voice if she is being dismissed, ignored, or not heard,
  • Creating space and time for the birthing family so that they can ask questions, gather evidence-based information, and make decisions without feeling pressured.
  • Facilitating communication between the parents and care providers.
  • Teaching and facilitating positive communication techniques.

Investment – $1900*

CONSULT REQUEST

*If you need financial assistance, I offer a discounted rates on a first-come, first-served basis.  If you would like to apply please go HERE.