Birth Doula Support

Birth is such a surreal experience! It is also intense, exhausting, physically and emotionally depleting, and demands all of your focus and energy for long hours. Labor support from  someone educated on the birth process, physical touch measures to aid in comfort and labor progress, who understands what a laboring person needs to move through the stages of labor with as much ease as possible, who encourages you through your birthing preferences and to pivot and support you when challenges arise is a critical piece in a positive and empowering birth experience. Your doula will help you understand recommendations from medical professionals and explain your options. 

Born With Love Doulas support birthing people in labor to help encourage a safe and satisfying birth experience.  We draw from our knowledge and experience to provide emotional support, physical comfort, informational support and help to facilitate communication between you and your care providers.  We provide encouragement and perspective to you and your partner (if present), make suggestions for labor progress, and help with relaxation, use comfort touch techniques, positioning and other measures for comfort.  As your doula, we work with you to ensure a positive, peaceful and healthy birth.

Your doula will provide 2 prenatal visits to get to get to know each other, discuss your birth preferences,  how your your doula can support you, possible interventions, informed consent, birthing positions, comfort touch measures and address any concerns you may have. We provide phone and email support upon hire through 2 weeks postpartum (24 hour phone support from 37 weeks).  You will have on-call birth support from 2 weeks before your due date.  After birth your doula will remain with you for up to two hours, until you are comfortable, your questions are answered, we have assisted you with breastfeeding (if you choose) and your family is ready for quiet time together.

Working with our team of doulas ensures built in back up support, many resources and expertise that the team offers when needed to your doula and you! 

•  2, 2 hour prenatal visits as stated above (in person if local and preferred or virtual)
• On call support starting at 38 weeks to answer questions and offer suggestions and reassurance
• Communication through birth process with laboring person and/or partner to offer support, suggestions for position changes and comfort touch measures, options in terms of interventions and hospital recommendations via phone, text and facetime as needed. 
  
• 1, 2 hour Postpartum doula visit within 2 weeks after birth via home visit (if local) or virtual to discuss breastfeeding and lactation support, infant care and new family well being 

At your doula consultation I will use these labor support methods during your labor:

• Comfort Touch, counter-pressure, acupressure
  
• Positioning
  
• Physical comfort measures such as hot/cold compress, lower lighting, bath/shower
  
• Emotional Support
  
• Facilitate communication
  
•  Provide information and resources regarding options and rights
• Reassurance and support to partners
  

During our 2 hour prenatal visits we will discuss birth plan topics and what to include in your birth plan, navigating possible interventions and informed consent, labor positions, comfort touch measures as well as other concerns you may have.

Within 2 weeks following your birth your doula will visit you for a postpartum doula support session. During this time I can answer any questions you may have regarding your birth, newborn questions, as well as offer breastfeeding tips.

• Discussion of your birth preferences, birth plan topics to think about, hospital policies and procedures, common provider recommendations, avoiding unnecessary hospital interventions, best ways to manage each stage of labor, things you can be doing in pregnancy to encourage a smoother, well informed, positive birth experience, and any other topics of concern !
• Pertinent resource links, referrals and hand-outs to support our discussion and an empowering and healthy labor and birth 
• This is a personalized doula consultation, so whatever is pertinent to your concerns as a birthing person will guide our discussion