“My partner will be with me .. why do I need a doula?”
No one will deny that you are certainly doing most of the heavy lifting here BUT your partner is also having their own experience throughout this process! They are becoming a parent, they’ll spend long hours awake and they will be watching you, their person, go through more discomfort than they may have ever seen before. Yes, your partner knows you, but your doula knows birth. (And trust me, between our initial meeting and our prenatals, I’ll get to know you pretty well myself!) I believe that in our own way, doulas are also offering support to partners. Not only do we bring knowledge and expertise but we also bring another set of hands and an extra heart to hold space and be present so that your support never dips …even when your partner may need to take a moment to themselves. All that said, most people don’t really grasp the invaluable support of a doula until they’ve had one. So trust me, I understand why you ask.
What if I go into labor and you’re not available?
I have backups that I work with! Once we are committed to each other as doula and client, the ONLY thing that would keep me from your birth is if I am already at a birth when you need me. Because of the unpredictable nature of labor and birth, its essential that any doula have trusted backup doulas they can call on. I take on a maximum of five clients each month so the likelihood is very slim, but in the event that your labor coincides with another of my mama’s I will send someone to support you in my place. Please note that if you decide not to have my back up attend, you would receive a refund of $400.
“I have support from family and friends! What might a postpartum doula offer me that they won’t?”
It’s amazing to have friends and family around during this transition! More times than not the main motivation for friend and family visits is how psyched they are to see and hold your new little bean .. BUT ideally they would be coming with the intention of helping support you as you navigate being home ie) dishes, light tidying, holding the baby while you do some two handed activities, maybe prep some hot meals. I always like to encourage and empower my clients to communicate this idea before that babe even arrives! While doulas do offer all those same things, we also bring 1. an intimate understanding of the emotional complexity of postpartum 2. objective care with no agenda or personal attachments and 3. up to date evidence based care for you, your partner and baby. Having an unbiased and knowledgeable person on your support team can be worth it’s weight in gold those first few months!
“Do you require a pathogen report to encapsulate?”
I do not! If your care providers feel safe delivering your baby and placenta with gloved hands, then I feel safe to handle it as well. I also believe that good practice is to treat every placenta like it may be contaminated. I wear PPE and prepare your placenta on surfaces sterilized with a 15% bleach solution followed by a vinegar/water solution. All of my tools are soaked in the bleach solution for 20 minutes prior to use, killing any potential pathogens. The steaming and dehydrating parts of the preparation happen at high temperature that also helps to rid the placenta of any unwanted visitors. And all that said, hospitals will not release a placenta known to have a contagious blood borne pathogens.
“Will you help me build a birth plan?”
The short answer is yes, absolutely. The long answer is that I technically can’t make a plan for your birth anymore than you or your provider can! What I can do is help you learn about and gather all of your preferences and choices using Motherboard Birth . I think language matters and the word “plan” promotes the false idea that birth is within our control. The platform that I use t will generate a custom, easy reference one sheet with colored icons and labels that are simple for care providers to read. When piecing together this sheet, there will be lots of content available to you to help you with your decision making.
“Are you a professional chef?”
Not at all! Cooking is my meditation and feeding people is one of my deepest love languages. Since I was young I have loved cooking and baking. I cook for my family daily. After having my son and navigating postpartum as a single mother, I realized just how important the role of food is during this time. It helps keep your mood stabilized, your body healing on a steady trajectory and it keeps you nourished so your body can make the food that nourishes your baby. When I got back to doula work after Kenji was born, I quickly started studying books like The First 40 Days and Eat to Feed, creating my own recipes inspired by nourishing postpartum dishes from around the world and I started offering my meal prep service.
“Are your packages flexible?”
Yes! In my years as a doula one constant has been the need for flexibility and fluidity. I recognize that every story and path is unique, so please feel freedom to be transparent about what you’re looking for. I’m happy to create what feels supportive and fair for all!