A doula provides you and your partner continuous emotional support and physical comfort assistance in obtaining information before, during, and just after childbirth. Doulas provide evidence-based information to help you make informed decisions, encouragement during labor, a variety of comfort measures, advocating for you, assisting with establishing breastfeeding, and check in with you postpartum.

A midwife is a healthcare professional who provides prenatal and postpartum care. Midwives perform physical examinations, monitor fetal health, assess labor progress, manage medical complications, deliver the newborn and placenta, and provide other obstetric and gynecological care.

I support all births whether you are:

• in a hospital, birth center or at home

• if you want to go unmedicated or if you are planning a c-section

• whether you want all the interventions or none of the interventions

I value childbirth education as the best resource to positive birth outcomes and my knowledge in childbirth education is always available to you, whenever you want it. You will gain access to all my resources, and be able to go into labor confident and prepared.

I am dedicated to you as your doula, so you can have the best birth and the best outcomes for you and your baby, and be supported however you want to be supported.

No, I will not replace your partner. Your partner provides expectational value to you during labor as you two share a special bond.

As your doula, I work with your partner - at their comfort level - to help them help you. I guide your partner on ways to assist you when labor gets tough, and can remind them that what your experiencing during labor is normal to reduce any of their stress or worries.

When your partner gets tired or hungry and needs to take a minute to eat, drink, use the bathroom, rest, or anything else, I will be remain by your side to ensure you always have continuous support and are never alone.

Yes, absolutely! No matter how you plan on giving birth you will always get my support with childbirth education, comfort measures, continuous labor support, postpartum support, and breastfeeding help - if desired.

• If you plan on an epidural: I help you through contractions before it gets placed, assist you with epidural friendly position changes, provide you with risks and benefits to help you make in making informed decisions about your medical care, and do anything else you need so you can feel supported (massage, cool wash cloth, manicure, etc.).

• If you plan, or need, a c-section: we discuss what to expect, ways you can make it your own to feel in control (family oriented or maternal assisted cesarean), how we can best stick to your birth plan, what recovery looks like, and anything else you need to feel supported.

You can hire a doula at any point during pregnancy - from the moment you find out your pregnant up until the moment you give birth!

However, it’s recommended to interview a few doulas during the second trimester, then hiring one early in your third trimester. This helps ensure you find a doula whose beliefs and personality align with yours, and provides plenty of time to have your prenatal meetings that establish your goals and form an interpersonal relationship!

Between our two prenatal visits we will:

• discuss your birth preferences and goals

• establish your plans for pain management and comfort measures

• do light bodywork to help prepare your body for labor

• allow time for you to ask any questions you have

• discuss breastfeeding, and how to successfully breastfeed

• establish your postpartum plan

• and much more.

**I highly encourage you to have a birth ball and take a prenatal childbirth course prior to our first prenatal meeting**

At our postpartum visit:

• I will check in to see how you are adjusting to parenthood and your new routines

• assist with basic breastfeeding help

• review the events of your birth with you

• answer any questions you have

• discuss postpartum doula plans, if desired

• provide resources, if needed (massage therapists, support groups, etc.)