If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it.

~John H. Kennell, MD

A doula is a person who provides physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and after the birth. They are often referred to as mothering the mother and parenting the parents. A doula never provides medical services. It is strictly out of our scope of practice to provide vaginal exams, break your water or administer medication. A doula is an excellent resource for women planning a birth in a hospital, birth center or at home.

A Birth doula

• Recognizes birth as an experience the mother will remember all her life
• Assists women in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed choices
• Facilitates communication between laboring woman, her partner and her care providers
• Helps the woman’s partner to participate at his or her comfort level

Why hire a doula?

To get the birth you want!

My personal birth philosophy is that women were made to birth babies beautifully. Although I support natural birth and believe that minimal interventions produce the best outcomes for mother and baby, I would never discourage you from getting pain medication in labor and will support you no matter what. This is your birth and it should be the way you want it. You will get unconditional support for your decisions when you hire me.

When you hire me as your doula, you will have the benefit of someone who is experienced in childbirth by your side from start to finish. I can help to point out what stage of labor you are in and reassure you that what you are feeling is normal. I can give suggestions on labor positions, pushing positions, how to work through a slow or fast moving labor, how your partner can support you, pain relief techniques, comforting measures, informational support on medical procedures, and many other solutions to situations that can arise during labor.

It’s important to have someone at the birth that is there for you and your partner. Often times in the hospital, the nurse is not able to stay with patients for labor support even if she wants to. One study showed that a nurse only spends about 10% of their time supporting the mother. Mothers and their partners are left alone to labor and this can cause much stress to the mother and often a longer more painful labor. It’s often a comfort just to have another women present who is objective and professional yet compassionate and caring. In a home birth, you won’t have a nurse and often the midwife does not arrive until you are in active labor. This means it is up to your partner to do everything like filling tubs, getting drinks for you, getting blankets, getting buckets, getting towels, preparing meals, getting your kids to their grandparents, and walking the dog. As awesome as your partner is, you can’t expect them to be able to whisper encouraging words in your ear, massage your neck, apply a cool cloth to your forehead all the while running around to help you and keep themselves peaceful and composed.

Many women think that a family member can be the person to help out during labor. That is fine and I encourage women to invite anyone they want to the birth, but it is still wise to hire a doula as well. It’s often hard for family and friends to see you in pain. They often have much love for you and want to help but just don’t have the tools or experience to offer helpful suggestions during the challenging stages of labor.

"In comparing a doula to a best friend or the woman's mother or sister, the difference is the experience and the perspective of the doula, and her hands-on knowledge. Doulas have had training in a variety of situations, such as when labor slows down, or if the mother becomes discouraged, or if she's having back pain. And someone who truly cares for the woman may offer love and stay with her, but may not have ideas of things to try."

~ Penny Simkin

Benefits of having a trained doula:

45% reduction in cesarean births
25% shorter labor
60% reduction in epidural requests
50% reduction in oxytocin use
30% reduction in analgesic use
34% reduction in forceps delivery

From The Doula Book by Klaus, Kennell, and Klaus

"Hiring a doula was the best decision I made when planning the birth of my third child. Terri was absolutely wonderful! Her knowledge was very extensive and helped to calm my nerves about childbirth. I would hire Terri again in a second"

- Sabrina Robinson

When to hire a doula?

It is best to start looking for a doula around your 4-7^th month of pregnancy.  This will give you lots of time to find a doula in your area and have a couple prenatal visits as well as build a bond and establish a trusting relationship. Sometimes I am able to take on last minute clients but if I am booked, I can recommend another doula in the area.

BASIC DOULA PACKAGE 

• Two-three prenatal visits where we will go over your birth plan, talk about the birth, practice comfort measures and labor positions, discuss post partum issues and address any concerns you may have
• Twenty four hour phone availability throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period so you can ask any questions that may have come up
• Continuous support for you and your partner during your labor
• One-three hours of support during your recovery depending on how the birth went and how much privacy you and your partner want
• Breastfeeding assistance
• One postpartum visit where we can discuss breastfeeding, any questions you may have and process the birth

The fee for my doula package is determined on a sliding scale, starting at $498 and sliding up to $649. The amount you pay is determined by you, and may be based on the amount of time I spend with you, the level of service provided, your degree of satisfaction, and your ability to pay.

The fees are to be paid as follows:
1. $249 as a non-refundable retainer fee, due when you hire me as your doula, and
2. The final fee balance ($249-$400) due at the first post-partum visit.

I accept cash or check however, if you prefer to pay with a credit card, you now have the option of using pay pal.

Doula Retainer Fee $249.00 Final Doula Balance $249.00 Final Doula Balance $300.00 Final Doula Balance $325.00 Final Doula Balance $350.00 Final Doula Balance $375.00 Final Doula Balance $400.00 Childbirth Class Deposit $100.00 Childbirth Class Balance $150.00

Contact me to schedule a no obligation meet and greet to see if we are a good match!

 

Beautiful Birthings Doula Services
Terri Williams
info@beautifulbirthings.com
(321) 271-6663