Miscarriage (or any loss before 20 weeks), stillbirth, infant death bereavement doulas are there to help
Serving Dayton, Ohio and surrounding areas
What bereavement support looks like
If you are still pregnant and have received the devastating news that there is no heartbeat or your baby is not expected to survive, bereavement doulas help you prepare for the birth and what to expect regarding their condition and passing.
If you would like doula support during the birth, I am able to provide care in a hospital setting.
If your baby is born and this came unexpectedly, I am able to come to the hospital after birth and help guide a family through this journey. Whether a baby is recently born or has been in the NICU or is an older baby with a terminal illness, bereavement services are available.
If you’re searching for support after the passing of your child, we can get together in a public place and discuss the support you need. Support sessions are a safe place to talk about your experiences and your grief unfiltered. Typically we do one to three sessions as needed. If you would like to get connected to local support groups for long-term support, I’m happy to help get you connected to additional support and community resources for bereaved families.
What to expect? I always meet in a public location first. I can meet families at the hospital after a phone consultation. If you are planning on delivering at home (ex. miscarriage), we can meet in a public location and talk about bereavement doula services for your individual situation.
It is a privilege and an honor to be called to the doula life. There are times the birth room holds joy and celebration. There are other times that the birth room holds pain, trauma, grief, shock, fear, confusion, and anger. I provide doula services for all types of birth. That includes healthy birth and unhealthy and births where babies are only on this earth a short time. That includes full term, preterm, miscarried, and neonatal death. I am here. Doulas are guides in this world of birth, for all outcomes.
I offer bereavement support on a volunteer basis as I am able. It is free of charge. Donations are accepted only to allow more time to take care of grieving families in need.
Service area of western Ohio
I serve within approximately an hour -- no more than an hour and a half -- of Fairborn, Ohio.
This includes the following counties:
My immediate area is Montgomery, Greene, Clark, and Miami.
I also serve Darke, Preble, Warren, Clinton, Fayette, Madison, Champaign, Union, Logan, and Shelby counties.
Services may be available in the counties surrounding that depending on distance (and proximity to I-75). Exceptions: I do not serve Butler, Hamilton, or Franklin counties.
The following are resources local to the Dayton, Ohio area. If you know of any resources to add to this, please reach out.
Contents: Hospitals Bereavement doulas Photographers for perinatal and infant loss Funeral homes and crematories Gardens and places of dedication Memorial events for babies Charities Ministries Support groups Mental health care
HOSPITALS
Hospitals with a maternity unit
In the Dayton metro: Kettering, Southview, Soin, Miami Valley, and Miami Valley South
Kettering Medical Center # (937) 298-4331 Address: 3535 Southern Blvd. Kettering, OH 45429 Website: www.KetteringHealth.org/Kettering
Newcomer www.newcomerdayton.com They have 3 locations: Dayton, Beavercreek, and Kettering. Visit their website for your preferred location’s contact info.
Morton and Whetstone Funeral Home www.mortonwhetstonefh.com 139 S. Dixie Drive Vandalia, OH 45377 # (937) 898-4634
Trostel, Chapman, Dunbar, and Fraley www.richardsraffanddunbar.com 507 W. Jefferson St. New Carlisle, OH 45344 # (937) 845-9477
There are two paver dedication services each year, spring and autumn, at Kettering’s Garden of Hope and Remembrance.
October October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Each year on October 15th families light a candle at 7pm in remembrance. This is called the Wave of Light.
Atrium’s HEAL program has an annual Walk to Remember in October.
December Atrium does a HEAL memory tree lighting. Dayton Children’s Hospital has an annual memorial.
CHARITIES None that I am aware of locally
MINISTRIES None that I am aware of locally
SUPPORT GROUPS
Due to Covid, many types of support groups have been cancelled or gone virtual. Please call any programs of interest for the most current information.
Silver Linings Time: 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 6:30-8pm Location: Miami Valley Women’s Center 2345 W. Stroop Rd. Dayton, OH Phone number: # (937) 298-2822 Website: https://womenscenter.org/support-services/infact-loss/
MENTAL HEALTH CARE
If you need emergency psychiatric care, please reach out. You can go to any emergency room and seek help.
There is a 24/7 crisis care service through Samaritan Behavioral Health including a suicide hotline. (937) 224-4646 They also have a warm line with counselors available 24/7.
We are fortunate to have many counseling services and an abundance of mental health care throughout the Dayton area. There are many caring professionals glad to serve the community. Please reach out if you need help. Every grieving family can benefit from mental health care.