A person who provides emotional and physical support to new parents during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. Traditionally, women have supported one another during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum throughout history. Our culture often lacks this organic foundation, so a doula does their best to pick up where our society has left off.
Doula: (Noun)
New Family Needs Services
Postpartum
Doula
As your Postpartum Doula, I will be with you to help you and your new family in those first days, weeks or months after bringing home a new baby by providing non-judgmental physical and emotional support, companionship, and evidence-based information. As a Postpartum Doula, I am trained and certified in assisting with support and education around infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, coping and postpartum adjustment skills for new parents, parent – baby bonding, infant soothing, basic newborn care, newborn sleep and other light household tasks. I will work with you and your family individually to determine your particular needs and will always keep your parenting style in mind, as you know best what works for your family and your baby. I am happy to be flexible with schedules and so I offer days, evenings and some overnight support to help you feel cared for any time of day or night!
Prenatal and Postpartum Educator
As your labor/birth/newborn Educator, I will work with you and your partner (if applicable) one-on-one to go over all of your labor and postpartum questions. This offering was born at beginning of the pandemic when so many of us had to pivot to help our clients navigate birth and postpartum without additional in-person support in many instances. So, I took my prenatal meetings and postpartum visits and created a one on one (client(s) + me) education package to go over All the Things!
We talk about navigating the hospital, what do when you arrive, comfort measures and positions, how the birthing person might be feeling during each stage of labor, and how their support person can help them, what to bring to the hospital, what to eat and drink etc. etc. We talk labor and birth for 2 meetings.
Then we talk all about postpartum! - Newborns and why they are the way they are, postpartum home setup, meals, recovery care, feeding, sleep, baby soothing and engagement, baby wearing etc. etc. We talk all things postpartum for about 2 visits as well.
In addition to these in-depth conversations, I provide lots of materials and resources too! And I'm available via text and email to answer questions in real-time as they come up.
And the best part!? It’s ALL tailored to you and your unique needs! We can shift gears where necessary!
Breast/Chest
Feeding
Support
As a Breastfeeding Specialist, I am trained and certified to guide and support you with this natural, important, but sometimes challenging part of new parenthood. I will work with you to provide guidance, assurances, and make the process as relaxing as possible by helping with methods for making sure you and your child are able to regularly, comfortably, and successfully breastfeed, chestfeed or bottle feed while maintaining the important parent-infant bond with one another. In addition, there are many things a new parent needs to know about maintaining a busy lifestyle while continuing to breastfeed, which I can help outline and plan for as well.
New Parent Groups
As the leader of my New Parent Groups, I will guide you and other parents with babies of similar age through your questions, concerns and joys of having a new baby. We'll have a topic each week like newborn characteristics, soothing and engaging with your baby, baby wearing, newborn sleep, breast and bottle feeding etc. Or sometimes we just talk and connect! This is a safe space to meet other new parents, make connections, share ups and downs, learn about your baby, and ask ANYTHING. These are offered in 6-week sessions and are great for parents with babies from about 0-4 months.
Please invite a friend!
Birth
Doula
As your birth Doula, I will be with you continuously during labor, birth and immediate postpartum period. My role is to hold this sacred event in a safe space for you by providing non-judgmental support, while remaining present solely to encourage you through this incredible journey. I can provide companionship, evidence-based information, and emotional and physical comfort. One of my main roles is assisting in adopting comfort measures to ease the way through the birthing process. Ideas may include soothing touch, position suggestions, movement, relaxation, rhythm, and ritual, breath work, partner bonding, hydrotherapy, nourishment etc. Immediately after the birth, I am there for support while you nurture and bond with your new baby while helping with initial breastfeeding as well, if desired.
*Not currently accepting birth doula clients except scheduled Cesareans.*
Free Prenatal
Consultation
Before we begin, it is important for an expecting family and myself to meet face-to-face (virtual or in person) and get to know one another. I believe strongly that trust and honesty must be part of the relationship from the start. That is why, prior to any commitments, I offer a complimentary prenatal consultation where we discuss what you are looking for in doula and breastfeeding support, what that support might look like, and outline how we can work together to make sure the months leading up to and following your birth are positive, healthy, and that you feel supported. I look so forward to meeting you!