Birth support
When you decide to work with me as your birth doula, you have taken the first step towards investing in your motherhood journey. Preparing yourself for birth is an important aspect of pregnancy. It’s not only your body and your baby that need preparing. There’s mental preparation we can do as well, to build the foundation for a beautiful birth (and postpartum) experience! Now. That isn’t to say we can take the hard work out of labor. It’s called ‘labor’ for a reason. And yet, there is so much beauty to be found in birth, even during the intense moment. I offer my birth services in Ashland, Oregon, as well as in Talent, Phoenix, Medford, Jacksonville and across the lower Rogue Valley. In some cases I am able to travel farther to offer services; reach out and let’s talk.
The benefits of having a doula support you during birth, have been well documented. Some of the benefits include shorter average labor times; you are more likely to give birth spontaneously (ie without the help of forceps, vacuum or cesarean section); decreased likelihood of using pain medications; decreased likelihood of having a cesarean section; and more. Additionally, women who were continuously supported throughout labor and birth are overall more satisfied with their birth experiences than those without continuous support. (Source: Find the study here.) Pretty cool, right? If these facts have already convinced you, reach out for your complementary consultation here!
In-person doula sessions, whether prenatal or postpartum, are held in your home. I am able to offer in-person doula services to those local to Ashland, Oregon and across the mid and lower Rogue Valley.
Prenatal support
Prenatal sessions are tailored to your specific needs and wishes. During our prenatal session(s), we may go over your wishes for the birth and we formulate your birth plan, should you wish to have one made for you. We talk about various positions for laboring and delivery; your wishes for pain management, if any, and any contingency plans you may want to consider. We also go into the kind of support you think you may want from me. If you have a partner, we can discuss how I can best support them as well, to enable them to better support you.
Depending on the number of chosen prenatal sessions and your needs, you can choose to learn about breathing techniques; how to work with your body as labor begins and while you birth your baby; comfort measures you might want to try or have performed on you throughout labor; common interventions; options and choices when baby is first born and more. We also talk about those first postpartum days and what plans you have made or may want to make. I would love to meet any persons you plan on having in the room with you when you give birth. If you have a partner or other support person who will attend the birth, they may want to attend a prenatal session as well, so we can make sure everyone is aware of your wishes for your birthing experience.
Continuous Labor support
From the moment we have signed the agreement (contract) and the retainer has been received (not applicable if OHP covers my services), I am on call to support you in labor 24/7. In between sessions I am available to you via text or email for any questions that may arise. I welcome your calls during regular business hours as well!
When labor begins, I can come check in on you, if so desired, during early labor. Once you are in active labor and ready for my support, I will come join you.* I support you throughout your labor, delivery and immediately after. Often during early labor it is advisable to try and get as much rest/ sleep as possible. I may come and check on you if that’s what you want, but then leave until labor picks up. Often times it’s not conducive to the process of early labor, to have ‘outside’ people around just yet. When labor starts to become more intense, what I do is entirely dependent on your needs and how you are able to ride the waves of labor. It may be that I am holding space, supporting your breathing techniques or supporting you physically as you move and walk around. In active labor you may want to apply some of the comfort measures we discussed and practiced.
If you decide you want to have your baby in the hospital, I will be there with you as well. When planning your birth, please take note that many hospitals in the Rogue Valley are allowing limited support people in the room at the moment. As a THW doula I do not count toward your visitor total. However, please check with your provider to get the most recent information on your chosen birth place’s policies. Even if you are having a (planned) cesarean section, I support you and your support person throughout your experience. When your baby is born, I can assist you with the first feeding if you choose to breastfeed. After you have delivered your baby and the placenta, I stay until everyone is settled in and ready to get some well deserved rest. Usually this is about 1-2 hours or so after the birth. However, I do not put a clock on it. I stay as long as needed.
Postpartum support
*I am currently not taking on any postpartum clients. The following still applies to the postpartum visits that are a part of your birth support package.*
Whether you’ve birthed your baby at home, in the hospital or in a birth center… those first days and weeks at home with your newborn can be overwhelming. With your first baby, you may still need to learn basic infant care skills. With your fifth, finding a new rhythm with the new baby may be challenging. No matter what your family looks like, having a newborn means learning and adjusting.
The support I lend your family may be focused on basic breastfeeding support, teaching you how to bathe your baby or showing you how to tell if your baby is drinking enough. Sometimes it’s conversations about all the things that you’re not sure are normal and having someone with years of experience ease your mind. If you’ve experienced a difficult or unsatisfying birth, we can go over your experience and process some of what you went through; your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Community referrals, resources and helping you find more support if needed, are always included.
*A note on travel times: I am based in Ashland, Oregon and support families throughout the mid and lower Rogue Valley. For labor support, please consider it may take me approximately 1 hour from the time you ask me to come, until I am able to arrive. In some cases it may take me up to 1.5 hours. I will make every effort to arrive as soon as I possibly can.