Relax

I support women in labor to help ensure a safe, satisfying, and memorable birth experience. My role focuses on providing physical comfort as well as emotional informational and spiritual support. I also help facilitate communication between you and your providers/hospital staff to make sure you are able to make informed decisions as they arise. I can provide reassurance and perspective to you and your partner, make suggestions for labor progress, and help with relaxation, movement, positioning, massage, hypnosis cues and other techniques for comfort. I'm also trained to assist with breastfeeding.

Begin

I will meet with you 2 times before labor (typically one of these is a home visit), provided there is enough time between hire and your birth. On our visit we can get acquainted and discuss your birth preferences/birth plan, various options during labor, as well as any concerns or fears you might be feeling as labor approaches. We'll also talk about relaxation and coping techniques, and I will learn how I can best support you and your partner together.

In addition to our prenatal visits, I'm also available for phone and email support any time you have questions or concerns during your pregnancy.

I am considered to be officially on-call for you from your 38th week until you deliver. Please call me if labor begins prematurely before your official on-call window. I will still make every effort to come, or send a back-up.

I will also inform you of any dates and times that I know of (if and as they arise) where I would be unavailable for labor support. To cover those times, I will arrange for a back-up doula to be on-call.

Reflect

Please call me when you think you might be in labor, even if you do not yet need me. I can answer questions and make suggestions over the phone. We will decide if I should come right then or wait for further change. I usually need approximately one hour (in addition to travel time) to get to you from the time you ask me to come. I am happy to come to your home while you labor, or meet you directly at the hospital, whichever you prefer. Also, except for extraordinary circumstances, I will remain with you throughout your labor and birth.

Enjoy

I usually stay with you for at least an hour after delivery to see that you are comfortable, answer postpartum questions, and help with initial breastfeeding if desired.

Lastly, I will follow-up with a postpartum home visit, typically within 1-2 weeks after delivery to see how you and your baby are doing, answer questions, and process your birth experience with you. Further, I am available for questions and resource referrals during your entire postpartum period (3+ months or beyond, if needed).