A Birth Doula is a woman who is trained and experienced in pregnancy, labor, and childbirth, and provides non-medical, physical & emotional support to the mother before, during, and just after her baby's birth.

Numerous clinical studies show that a doula's presence at birth:

• Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications.

• Reduces negative feelings the mother may have about her childbirth experience.

• Reduces the need for Pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps, or vacuum extraction.

• Reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesarean sections.

Your birth doula:

• Understands the physiology of pregnancy, labor, and birth, and understands the emotional needs of a woman in labor.

• Assists the mother in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth.

• Stays with the mother throughout her entire labor and birth.

• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the mother get the information she needs in order to make informed decisions.

• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner, and her clinical care providers.

• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of her birth experience.

• Allows the woman's partner to participate fully at his/her comfort level.
   

BIRTH DOULA RATES AND PACKAGES:

• Initial home visit/consultation is FREE.  This is where the birth doula and the mother get to know one another, ask questions about the doula's role, discuss the mother's anticipated needs and birth desires, and determine if the doula and the mother are a good match for one another.

• Basic Hospital Birth Package; $550.00 - Birth doula services are offered in both Alachua County (Shands, North Florida Regional Medical Center) and Columbia County (Lake City Medical Center).  Services include two (2) prenatal home visits/meetings, continuous labor, birth, and early postpartum support, and two (2) postpartum visits (at 2 and 6 weeks) of up to two (2) hours each.  24-hour on-call support two weeks before due date until baby is born, and access to doula's extensive lending library for duration of doula services.

• Basic Homebirth Package; $500.00 - Birth doula services in Alachua and Columbia Counties.  Services include two (2) prenatal home visits/meetings, continuous labor, birth, and early postpartum support, and two (2) postpartum visits (at 2 and 6 weeks) of up to two (2) hours each.  24-hour on-call support two weeks before due date until baby is born, and access to doula's extensive lending library for duration of doula services.

 
 

A Postpartum Doula is a professionally trained and experienced woman who assists the new mother and her family with their newborn baby(ies) during the early postpartum period.

Your Postpartum Doula Will:

• Provide non-medical, hands-on, evidence-based education and support in infant and mother care.

• Give the support and encouragement needed to establish a successful breastfeeding relationship, offer practical tips and advice when and if minor issues arise, and refer the mother to a local Lactation Consultant when and if necessary.

• Offer non-judgmental emotional support and a caring, listening ear.

• Identify any early signs of postpartum depression, and offer local counseling resources specific to new mothers.

•  Take care of the baby for short periods of time while the mother showers, naps, eats a meal, or has some quiet time to herself.

• Spend time and play with older siblings while mother is engaged in caring for and/or bonding with her baby.

• Shop for groceries, and prepare light, nourishing meals for the mother and any siblings.

• Offer basic pet care such as walking the dog, scooping the litter box, feeding, and playing with the animals.

• Take care of light household chores such as washing laundry, tidying up after light meals, and wiping down counters.

• Work herself out of a job by helping parents build confidence and pride in their own parenting abilities.

 

Your Postpartum Doula Will NOT:

• Offer any medical advice regarding any health issues that may arise.

• Take over total care of the baby for long periods of time; the job of the postpartum doula is to 'mother the mother' so she can in turn build the confidence and resources she needs to parent her baby.

• Drive the mother, baby, or any members of the family anywhere at any time.

• Be responsible for any deep housecleaning such as washing windows, mopping floors, cleaning bathtubs, doing yardwork, etc.

• Pass any judgment on the mother's choices, or offer any unprompted, non-evidence-based advice at any time.
   

POSTPARTUM DOULA RATES AND PACKAGES:

• Initial home visit/consultation is FREE.  This is where the postpartum doula and the mother get to know one another, ask questions about the doula's role, discuss the mother's needs and parenting style, and determine if the doula and mother are a match for one another.

• 3 hours per day and 3 days per week is the standard minimum package.  Hour starts upon postpartum doula's arrival to mother's house.  Payment is due weekly, with the first initial week's payment being due when contract is signed (during initial home visit/consultation).  Thereafter, weekly payment is due on the first day of the postpartum doula's working week.

• Postpartum Doula Services in Alachua and Columbia Counties: $20.00 per hour at a minimum of 3 hours per day and 3 days per week for a total of $180 per week of services.  Package can be modified for additional hours and/or days.

 

Please contact me today via phone or email to find out more information about doulas and how one can benefit your family!  I do package deals: there are discounts available if you would like to take advantage of my childbirth classes and doula services together.  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

Young mamas today are facing some of the most difficult challenges ever presented in history.  So many questions, worries, and fears...and sometimes it can feel like you are completely alone.  I believe that it's more important than ever for young mothers to educate themselves about birth and parenting, and to truly realize that they know more about their bodies and their babies than anyone else.  I also know that sometimes it's difficult to come to those realizations when good support seems non-existent. 

That's why I'm offering a scholarship program for teen mamas, good for the full tuition of either group or private classes, along with my birth doula services.  If you are a teen mama who would like to have a doula at your birth or would like to take my BIRTHING FROM WITHIN® childbirth classes, but do not have the funds available to pay, I offer another way to enroll.  Fill out the Teen Mama Scholarship application form (below), and attach a three page account of how this pregnancy has changed your life, what your goals for the future are, and what becoming a mother truly means to you.  This assignment must be typed in a normal size font (size 11 or 12 is fine) and can be double or single spaced.  Finally, filling a whole sheet of regular copy/printer paper, draw me a picture of your baby.  This does NOT have to actually be a drawing of a baby...in fact, it can be anything you want, as long as it is what your baby looks like to you in your heart.  Scribbles, shapes, rainbows, baby turtles, hearts, whatever...use any medium you want (crayons, markers, paint, colored pencils, etc.), and introduce me to your baby.

After I receive and review your application package, I will call you to discuss class details.  Click here to download your application form.