I will come alongside you as a knowledgable and sensitive labor support companion. I have completed the DONA birth doula training and have had many years of first-hand experience with birth, babies and breastfeeding. These include my own babies, in addition to being a student midwife.
I would love to give the support you need for the wondrous and often challenging time of labor, birth and the early post-partum days. I will also provide information and resources that will help and encourage you on this amazing journey.
My services include:
1-2 prenatal visits where I can help with a birth plan, if you don't have one. We can talk about your hopes and expectations for the birth of your baby, as well as any questions and concerns you have regarding labor and birth. During this time we get to know each other!
I can direct you to information that will be helpful as you prepare for birth, and will find out your preferred ways of dealing with pain and fatigue.
I will be on call 24 hrs. a day for three weeks before your due date until your baby is born. You can call me anytime with questions and concerns.
When your labor starts I will come to be with you as soon as you want me to be there, providing emotional, physical and knowledgable support to you as your labor progresses. I will employ non-medical techniques for reducing pain as you desire, and help you to remain focused on why you are there; to give birth to your baby! My role as advocate is to make sure you understand different procedures and interventions offered to you as you labor, and to ensure you have time and space to consider them. To find out more about what a birth doula does, take a look at this website:http://www.dona.org/publications/position_paper_birth.php
After your baby is born I will stay with you for 1-2 hrs. to make sure you are comfortable, and help with establishing breastfeeding, if needed.
I come to your home to visit you within the first two weeks after the birth of your baby. If you chose to have me take photos during your labor and after the birth I like to bring these with me to give to you then. This visit is a great time to talk over your labor and birth. I answer any questions you may have about what happened during that time. It's often surprising to many women how much they enjoy doing this with those who attended them thenm, and how many questions they have about why certain things happened or were done.This is is a great time to process all the events. If you need more information or resources on your baby's care I am available to help with that too.
My fee for these services is $700.00. I require a $350 deposit and will accept a post-dated check for the balance, holding it until the 1st of the month that your due date is in. If you choose to hire me for both birth doula and postpartum doula services I can offer you a discount.
Sometimes there are situations when offer doula services for less to those who are unable to pay the full charge.
As a post-partum doula~ I come to your home in the early post-partum weeks to help you by taking care of your other young children, cooking meals, light cleaning, running errands for you, helping with newborn care and questions,etc..anything that will help you get the rest and healing you need after birth, so you can enjoy and relax in your baby-moon. Let your mom or mom-in-law know a wonderful shower/new baby gift would be hiring a post-partum doula!
My fee for post-partum care is $25 hrly. with a two hour minimum per day.
If you have any questions, please call me and I will do my best to answer them. : )
Looking forward to serving you,
Marie