Labor/Birth Support

I was driven to birth work out of a desire to support people along their journey towards parenthood. Regardless of where or how you give birth, you deserve to be heard, respected, and hopefully empowered. Having an additional member of your team support your birth can make such a difference in how you feel about your experience.

Prenatal visits allow us time to get to know each other. We’ll discuss comfort measures, positions, and what you can do to help prepare your mind and body for labor. We will also take the time to discuss postpartum expectations.

During our postpartum visits we will check in, go over the birth as well any postpartum questions or concerns you may have. I can also provide you with community resources and/or point you in the direction of a local postpartum doula.

 
 
 

Birth Support/$1200 ($950 for repeat clients)

3 Comprehensive Prenatal Visits to discuss your hopes and visions for this birth, your coping mechanisms, and formulate a list of birth preferences, & postpartum planning (Topics include but are not limited to: formulating your birth preferences, comfort techniques, when to go to the birth center/hospital, birth affirmations, postpartum and how to prepare for life with new baby, and feeding your baby). These visits can be done virtually, in person, or a combination of the two.

*Educational resource binder

*Support via phone and/or email throughout your pregnancy to answer any questions or concerns.

*Access to the lending library

*Affirmations banner kit

*On call starting at 38 weeks

*Labor/Birth Support

*Immediate postpartum support

*Birth photography to capture your experience (please see Gallery for examples).

*Two postpartum follow up visits following the birth. One within the first week and one at a month.

*Lactation Support

 
 
 

FAQ

What is a birth doula?

A birth doula is a trained professional who seeks to help pregnant folks feel like active participants in their pregnancy/birth journey. We do this by providing continuous physical, emotional and informational support for pregnant persons before, during and shortly after childbirth

Are there benefits to hiring a doula?

Evidence Based Birth® shares the following benefits of doula support: 

  • 39% decrease in Cesarean births

  • 15% increase in spontaneous (non-induced) vaginal birth

  • 10% decrease in the use of narcotic pain relief

  • Average length of labor decreased by 41 minutes

  • 38% decrease in the risk for a baby having a low 5 minute Apgar score

  • 31% decrease in the risk of the birthing person being dissatisfied with the overall birth experience

What kinds of births do doulas support?

Doulas support all types of births in all types of settings with all types of care providers! It’s a myth that we only support unmedicated and/or out of hospital births. My only agenda for any client is to help them reach their goals for their birth experience regardless of whether it’s an unmedicated birth center/home birth or a birth in a hospital with an epidural. I recognize that there is no right way to birth, only what’s right for you.

Won’t a doula replace the role I want my partner to play? (aka How do doulas support partners?)

A good doula should never replace your partner in your birth experience. I absolutely love hands on partners. In fact, I want them to be your main support. I suggest having them get involved with the searching/interviewing process. Look at profiles/websites together. Have them think of some questions and think about how they may envision our role and how we can support them in supporting you.  This can help alleviate some worries about replacement and worrying about whether we will get along

We have such a lovely opportunity to support you as a cohesive unit. During our prenatal visits, they get have questions answered and hear all the same info you do. When we are talking about comfort techniques, I’m making sure that they know how to do them. Our presence as doulas allows us to support them as much as you during this whole experience, just in different ways. Here’s some feedback from a former client’s partner.

What’s the difference between a doula and a midwife? Do I need a doula if I have a midwife?

Midwives are licensed medical professional who specialize in low-risk pregnancies and low intervention births. Midwives can be found in and out of hospital settings. Some can care for you in all the ways an OB/GYN can (other than surgery) which makes them a great alternative. They’re the ones performing tests, prescribing, checking dilation, etc.  Here in Virginia, we have both CNMs and CPMs which means more options for you! Some midwives will even be present and hands on during your entire birth if they don’t have other clients, but typically come and go during labor.

Doulas does not perform any medical tasks. We are not medical professionals. We do not replace the need for a care provider. We focus on education and physical and emotional support during pregnancy, childbirth, and immediate postpartum. This means that we are talking about options and preferences, addressing any worries/fears, discussing labor expectations, and teaching you how to cope with the sensations of labor. We are a continuous support during labor. We help to empower you to be your own advocate and while happy to provide you with resources and answer any questions that pop up along your journey, we will direct you to your care providers for actual medical concerns/advice.  

Can you help me decide between an obstetrician (OB) and a midwife?

The decision of who should provide care during pregnancy and birth is very personal. I am happy to help you decide which model of care feels like best fit for you.

How can a doula help if I’m planning to get an epidural?

This is such a great question and one I am often asked. As mentioned above, I don’t walk into a birth with any agenda other than to do my best to help you achieve your goals. Epidurals can be a great option for managing the sensations of labor for folks who want one. I think it’s important to remember that there is still work that has to be done prior to having it placed and so comfort techniques are still important for working through labor until you get to a point where it won’t slow things down. Even when an epidural is placed, position changes are still important so I often help with that. We also can still be helpful during pushing and in the immediate postpartum.

Do I need to take a childbirth education course if I have a doula?

While I don’t require my clients to take a childbirth class, I love it when they do! While I like to think my prenatal visits are pretty informative, there is always something to be gained from multiple perspectives. It’s so helpful on birth day and I find that clients often refer to information they learned from taking a class along with our meetings. Also, I love that when clients take group classes, there is more opportunity for community building which is so important in this journey. It’s actually not uncommon for folks to seek out doula support after having attended classes. I have a fantastic list of classes I happily refer people to.

What does doula support look like with Blooming Birth?

Three comprehensive prenatal meetings , educational resources, access to a lending library of books, support via call, email, text during pregnancy, continuous labor support, photography during labor at no additional cost if desired, breastfeeding/chestfeeding support, & two postpartum visits.