Doula:
Supporting women and families during pregnancy, childbirth
and beyond
My services are tailored to best support each family.
Sometimes that means just listening, sometimes it means
a caring hug, sometimes it means assisting you in researching
your options, and sometimes it means empowering you as
you make important decisions.
I will serve as your advocate by helping you have a voice
during labor and delivery. At times when we feel vulnerable,
we can forget what our goals were and we may not share
what we are feeling. I will not speak for you, but rather
will remind you of your goals and do my best to make sure
you are able to communicate those goals to others. I will
be there to make sure you understand any procedures and
situations as they arise.
The birth of your baby is a special, once-in-a-lifetime
event that deserves the very finest in care and planning.
What is a doula?
A doula provides continuous physical, emotional and informational
support to the mother before, during and after childbirth.
Doulas do not provide clinical services, instead focus
on keeping the parents comfortable and calm with massage,
meditation, emotional support and birth plan management.
Why do families choose
to have a doula?
Studies have found that when
doulas attend births, labors are shorter with fewer complications,
decreasing the need for oxytocin, forceps or vacuum extractor
deliveries, pain medication or epidurals, and cesarean
deliveries. Babies are healthier and breast feed more
easily. The growing acceptance of doulas in maternity
care is due to the increased recognition of their key
contribution to the improved physical outcome and emotional
well-being of mother and infant.
Does having a doula
impact my choice of birth setting?
No. I am comfortable in any birth setting, from the home
to the hospital, and work in cooperation with physicians,
nurses, midwives and the partners and families of laboring
women.
My mission as your
doula
My mission is to provide compassionate, tender care and
support for you and your family throughout your pregnancy,
birth and the early days of parenthood. With respect to
your privacy and dignity, you will receive individualized
attention, reassurance, and loving support to ensure a
safe and satisfying childbirth.
I am a doula who honors and trusts birth as a natural
transition for women and their entire families. My role
is to provide unconditional support for the Mom, her partner
and family through their experience of labor, birth and
the postpartum days without imposing my beliefs or opinions.
Supporting your partner so that they are able to participate
at their own comfort level is equally as important to
me. I am available to you throughout your pregnancy, including
guidance when designing your birth plan and in-home support
during early labor.
Doula Services:
As a doula, I am available for unlimited telephone and
email support throughout your pregnancy. I meet with the
mother or mother and her partner during at least two prenatal
visits to build rapport and offer assistance with learning
what best birth options fit their needs & desires.
The Birth Plan - together, we will work on your
vision for your own unique birth experience, and prepare
for a healthy, comfortable and confident birth. This will
be the foundation of our work together and will include
all of the goals we hope to achieve during the pregnancy,
labor and birth.
Early Labor - I will come to your home and coach
you through early labor, which may include breathing exercises,
massage, meditation or just a calm presence as you prepare
for the big moment.
During Labor - my number one priority is your
comfort and safety during labor with techniques including:
• Encouragement
• Massage
• Reflexology
• Relaxation techniques
• Guided imagery
• Encouragement and suggestions along the way to aid in
helping you to stay comfortable
Post-Partum - I stay as long as needed and can
assist in initial breast-feeding after delivery. I will
schedule a follow-up visit with you and your new baby
and provide a written birth narrative of your special
day, and offer post partum breastfeeding help if needed.
My goal is that each family member perceives their birth
experience as an amazing challenge and a satisfying love-filled
accomplishment to begin their parenting journey.
Support for the Partner
The practice of working with an experienced doula during
birth is an ancient tradition. Offering wisdom gained
from experience and education, I prepare the mother's
partner to participate with confidence. The mother's partner
wants to share in the pregnancy, birth, and parenting
of their child. Today's expectant father is looking to
be actively involved: ease his partner's labor pain, welcome
his baby at the moment of birth and help care for his
newborn at home.
With a doula's support, the expectant father tends to
be more involved with his partner and stay more present
with her needs, rather than pull away in times of stress.
I will provide the father with reassurance, direction
and instructions on ways to support the mother during
the birth.
Massage and Pregnancy
Pregnancy massage focuses on giving the mother-to-be the
special attention she needs, which helps to nurture the
new life that is growing within her. As a massage therapist
and trained doula, I have specific knowledge to alleviate
pain, understand all stages of your pregnancy, and lend
emotional support. In addition to my work as a doula,
I also am a:
• Licensed Massage Therapist
• Pregnancy Massage Therapist
• Certified Infant Massage Instructor
• Certified Watsu Practitioner
• Certified Alchemical Hypnotherapist
• Certified Hypno Doula with HypnoBabies®
Whether on the massage table or in the warm, saline pool,
my goal is to keep both mother and baby safe and comfortable
during their massage, relieve any pain the mother-to-be
is experiencing, and to give the mother an opportunity
to share the same type of medium that her fetus is growing
in: a warm, loving, liquid embrace.
What difference does a Doula
make?
According to Mothering the Mother: How
a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier
Birth, by Kennell, Klaus and Kennell (1993),
having a Doula present at birth can give you a:
• 50% reduction in cesarean rates
• 25% shorter labor
• 60% reduction in epidural requests
• 40% reduction in synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin)
use
• 30% reduction in analgesia use
• 40% reduction in forceps delivery
I have been attending births since 1988 and am a DONA trained Birth Doula and DONA trained Postpartum Doula. To learn more
about my labor support services or to schedule a meeting
to see if we are a good fit, or to discuss my fee structure,
please contact me by phone 404.610.1303
or email bodyworksatlanta@gmail.com.
Video:
Pregnancy Watsu
