I am profoundly inspired by the ability of the body to grow, nurture, and expel an entire human being! Attending births as a doula is a wonderful privilege each and every time. No matter the time of day or the length of labor, I can always find my passion for birth. When families thank me after their baby is born, I have to turn the thanks onto them for letting me be a part of the birthday party!

I completely trust the body’s ability to know itself and know what to do. Birth is both mammalian and divine. On one hand, we have babies like all warm-blooded animals. On the other hand, it is incredible, awesome, and surreal that two people can together, make a third.

   

As I trust the biology of birth, I also count on good communication skills with medical staff in the event that birth does not unfold as planned. I wish for every woman to have the birth she dreams about, and I want to help her get that experience. If the actual birth does not decide to cooperate with the “birth plan,” I can help obtain the closest possible version of that mother’s dream scenario by having respectful and trusting discussions with the midwife or doctor. And during unforeseen complications, I can offer support and encouragement through the change of plans. I am a nursing student as well, and I have found that my clinical studies are in perfect balance with my work as a doula.

In helping you plan for your baby’s birth, I offer all of the resources and tools that I know and trust. These resources tend to favor low-intervention childbirth, breastfeeding, and natural baby care. However, I completely honor and respect that this is your birth. I have attended births with various goals of pain management, ranging from no medications to planned epidurals. I have attended births with various relationship statuses, including unplanned pregnancies, single mothers, and committed partners. I have attended births in various settings with various types of providers: midwives in hospitals, doctors in hospitals, and midwives at home.

There are many ways to get a baby out into this world. My goal is to help you find your way.

It is very important to me that there is harmony in the birth space. Birth can completely overtake a woman emotionally and physically; a positive, calm approach is important in helping her do the hard work of labor! Achieving this harmony requires a respectful dance between the doula, the medical providers, and the birth partners or husbands.

When family members are involved in birth, I respect their invaluable roles as the support people who have known the laboring mother for many years. My job is not to replace them, only to offer another set of hands and strategies. Some of my favorite birth experiences have included wonderful collaboration with dads, birth partners, and new grandmothers who were present for the birth.

When dads and birth partners are actively offering support with me, I am very aware and respectful of the intimate experience of birth and do not overstep the importance of the father or birth partner’s role.

In addition to working in complement to the birth partner, I use respectful communication with medical providers, trying to achieve the parents’ birth goals without obtruding upon the experience and qualifications of the nurses, midwives, and physicians present.

    

It is a delicate balance, but I aim to be a bridge and not the dividing wall. In cases where both the baby and laboring mother were clearly safe, I have defended written birth plans to a nurse or physician who suggested a procedure or approach that I knew the mother felt strongly against. In other instances, when intervention clearly seemed appropriate, I have stepped back to support the mother by communicating which unplanned procedure was taking place and why.