Rachel's knowledge of what to expect, her endless options for relaxation techniques and her sweet demeanor and compassion helped us get thru 14 hours of labor. - Courtney
"When do I go to the hospital?" "How will I know I'm in labor?" "I'm afraid I'm going to be in pain."
These are all common concerns expressed by expectant women and couples and we will address all of them together.
If you are here then you probably already know that there are many benefits of having a birth doula / labor support including shorter labors, less interventions, and babies who have an easier time breastfeeding. Those are just to name a few!
My philosophy is to help you have your best birth. I will draw on my expertise as a DONA Certified Birth Doula (CD) as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) to support you in all your choices, whatever they may be, and provide information and physical support as needed. I support all births, including but not limited to: home, hospital, vaginal, cesarean, vbac, epidural, waterbirth, etc...
If you are here then you probably already know that there are many benefits of having a birth doula / labor support including shorter labors, less interventions, and babies who have an easier time breastfeeding. Those are just to name a few!
My philosophy is to help you have your best birth. I will draw on my expertise as a DONA Certified Birth Doula (CD) as well as a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) to support you in all your choices, whatever they may be, and provide information and physical support as needed. I support all births, including but not limited to: home, hospital, vaginal, cesarean, vbac, epidural, waterbirth, etc...
My husband, who had been completely skeptical of getting a doula to work with us at all said it best when he proclaimed during labor, "having Rachel here was the best decision we ever made." Yep, pretty much. - Carey
MY APPROACH
Pregnancy and childbirth challenge one's body and mind, and I love working with mothers during these times, to help cultivate wholeness, fluidity, and confidence, via movement and positive thinking, in one's body.
We will start at our prenatal visits, where I will offer my expertise and evidenced-based information as a DONA Birth Doula. Some of the topics we will cover are relaxation, comfort, and calming techniques that you can use in early labor as well as address any questions you may have regarding your upcoming birth within a doula's scope of practice*.
We will be guided by DONA Founder Penny Simkin's Comfort in Labor: How You Can Help Yourself to a Normal Satisfying Childbirth and will learn comfort measures and techniques you and your partner (and your doula of course) can use at home or hospital. We will explore Rebozo, Spinning Babies, Birth Ball, and Dancing for Birth and turn to my Birth Kit (think Mary Poppins' size!) for visual aids and birth tools. We will discuss implementation, timing, and different scenarios with time for questions and answers.
When your labor begins and as labor progresses, we will build on all these wonderful techniques at home and/or at the hospital. Many hospitals offer options for comfort, such as water tubs, squat bars, peanut balls. There are ways a doula can help bridge the "natural birth" world and the medical world and help make your birth experience safer and more joyful.
I love informing and educating about comfort measures in labor and aim to help you have a satisfying birth and, ultimately, support a healthy, breastfeeding relationship.
* A doula provides physical, emotional and informational support and is not a clinical position and does not provide medical information. Comfort Measures in Labor Sessions are not a replacement for Childbirth Education Classes (CBE).
Pregnancy and childbirth challenge one's body and mind, and I love working with mothers during these times, to help cultivate wholeness, fluidity, and confidence, via movement and positive thinking, in one's body.
We will start at our prenatal visits, where I will offer my expertise and evidenced-based information as a DONA Birth Doula. Some of the topics we will cover are relaxation, comfort, and calming techniques that you can use in early labor as well as address any questions you may have regarding your upcoming birth within a doula's scope of practice*.
We will be guided by DONA Founder Penny Simkin's Comfort in Labor: How You Can Help Yourself to a Normal Satisfying Childbirth and will learn comfort measures and techniques you and your partner (and your doula of course) can use at home or hospital. We will explore Rebozo, Spinning Babies, Birth Ball, and Dancing for Birth and turn to my Birth Kit (think Mary Poppins' size!) for visual aids and birth tools. We will discuss implementation, timing, and different scenarios with time for questions and answers.
When your labor begins and as labor progresses, we will build on all these wonderful techniques at home and/or at the hospital. Many hospitals offer options for comfort, such as water tubs, squat bars, peanut balls. There are ways a doula can help bridge the "natural birth" world and the medical world and help make your birth experience safer and more joyful.
I love informing and educating about comfort measures in labor and aim to help you have a satisfying birth and, ultimately, support a healthy, breastfeeding relationship.
* A doula provides physical, emotional and informational support and is not a clinical position and does not provide medical information. Comfort Measures in Labor Sessions are not a replacement for Childbirth Education Classes (CBE).
The happiest day of my life was made so much more precious by Rachel and her compassionate skill and grace. - Jennifer
Thank You Rachel! Rachel was our Doula for both the births of our boys. It was still early in Rachel's experience as a Doula. It did not matter she has a natural calmness and intuition that guides her in knowing what her mother's need. After the first child was born my husband said "I know I could never have done it without, Rachel. - Kristin
Rachel was vital to my positive experience and I couldn't have enjoyed it as deeply as I did without her. She not only prepared me for labor and delivery, carried us through it, but she has been such a pillar of strength for all of us in the postpartum period. - Heather
