Proud to be a Christian business offering education and support
Scroll to learn more about
- What is a doula?
- Why hire a doula?
- Types of births I attend and families I serve
- What do I do during a birth?
- What I do not do
- Confidentiality
- Services offered
- Packages to choose from
- Fees
- Service areas of Ohio
- Contact
- About me as a doula
What is a doula?
Introductory definition: A doula is a professional support person for a birthing woman and her family. Doulas provide physical and emotional support during labor and delivery plus the early postpartum period. A doula is a seasoned guide to partner with while you walk the path of your birth journey.
They do:
- Provide support
- Inform of resources
- Offer education
- Most support all types of births in the hospital or a birthing center. Many also attend home births (though often the presence of a midwife is required).
They don’t:
- Provide medical care, take vitals, or monitor fetal heart tones
- Make health decisions for the client
- Speak on behalf of the client
- Replace the dad or any family member (or good friend)
Multiple hats: Some doulas have a medical background while others do not. Some nurses become doulas or take a doula training to improve their skills. Some midwives start out as doulas. Many doulas are also childbirth educators or other types of birth professionals. A lot of doulas are also trained in lactation support.
Variety of backgrounds: Doulas may be women or men who may or may not be parents themselves. Doulas come from a variety of backgrounds, family types, and birthing experiences.
Variety of philosophies: Each doula brings their own flavor. As individuals, doulas have their own philosophies and perspectives on reproductive health, maternity care, and infant care.
Common mission: Our common goal is to support growing families and improve maternity care!
Why hire a doula?
Studies have shown significantly better outcomes in births where the woman had a supportive partner AND a doula in comparison to women who did not.
The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reported in March 2014, “Published data indicate one of the most effective tools to improve labor and delivery outcomes is the continuous presence of a support personnel, such as a doula. Given that there are no associated measurable harms, this resource is probably underutilized.”
Read more about doula benefits here
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10643833/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23857334/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23409910/
- https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/
Who needs a doula? Anybody who wants one. Whether single or married, you can benefit from a doula. Whether planning a natural, vaginal delivery or a planned c-section or anything in between, a doula can assist you. You may especially benefit from a doula if you are nervous about birth, don’t want to be left alone during labor, don’t have a supportive partner, live away from family, are a military wife with a deployed husband, struggle with depression or anxiety, or suffer from addiction and need support to have a birth without pain medication.
It is a luxury to have your own personal consultant and support professional for your birth. Pamper yourself. You deserve it.
A doula is worth the moola.
Types of births I attend and families I serve
It is often thought that doulas only support natural birth (vaginal, unmedicated). Quite commonly, people think doulas are for home births. As for me, this is what my services are available for.
- Any location: hospital, birthing center, or home
- Births with obstetricians and births with nurse-midwives and births with CPMs (certified professional midwives) or DEMs (direct-entry midwives)
- Vaginal births
- Cesarean births, whether scheduled or unplanned
- Any type of pain management: all natural or epidural or somewhere in between (Yep, I fully support epidurals!)
- Low-risk births
- High-risk births
- Singletons or multiples
- Expected healthy outcome
- Expected health problems
- Perinatal and infant loss: miscarriage, stillbirth, fatal diagnosis or health issues that are expected to cause death
- All types of families: Whether you're married, single, dating, divorced, somewhere in between, or you have a multi-parent family, I'm happy to partner with you on your journey. I also support adoption, and can be hired by the birthing mother or the adoptive mother (with birthing mom's permission). Likewise, with surrogacy I can work with the birthing family and the intended parents as they walk this path together.
- I serve people from a variety of religious beliefs, political perspectives, and different backgrounds. I enjoy working with a wide variety of people. I believe diversity strengthens healthcare workers.
What do I do during a birth?
- I provide physical support to the mother during labor and delivery. There are a variety of ways physical support can be provided. We will discuss different options during your prenatal appointments and customize your support plan to include methods you’d like to try.
- I assist the dad in learning how to provide physical support to his partner. If the husband/partner wants to be the primary support person (which is awesome), I am more than happy to focus on guiding him in taking care of his wife.
- I offer emotional support to the couple.
- If the birthing mother has family and friends she would like to be involved during labor, I’m glad to assist them in showing them ways they can provide support.
- As a Christian, I am happy to pray over the family and read scriptures or devotionals if the client would like.
- For mothers that choose to breastfeed, I provide lactation support as a certified breastfeeding specialist.
- I provide a safe place to confidentially talk about whatever a client needs to talk about.
What I do NOT do
- I do not replace the dad. He is very much a priority in the birthing process. Bringing a child into the world is the birth of a family. While I will gladly work with single mothers and in circumstances where the father is not present, I will never “push a dad aside”. I’m there to support the birthing couple.
- I do not provide medical care. A doula is different than a midwife. I do not diagnose or treat health problems. I will not prescribe anything including supplements or herbal treatments. I will not be taking vitals or fetal heart tones. While my degree is in health sciences and I am trained in basic clinical skills, I do not feel it is appropriate for doulas to take vitals without having a primary provider to report to or having access to their chart to see their history.
- I do not attempt to intervene with medical care or encourage people to go against their doctor’s recommendations.
- I do not advocate for a client’s decisions or go up against the medical team. It is an individual’s responsibility to make their own medical decisions and speak on them. I do not argue with doctors or nurses. I work together with the staff to provide care for the birthing family.
- I do not judge the medical choices you make surrounding your birth. Your health decisions are rightfully yours to make and should be respected.
- I do not attend unassisted deliveries. While I respect a woman’s right to give birth in her chosen location with whomever she chooses present, it’s a liability issue should there be complications.
- I do not offer fertility support for families currently trying to conceive. I wish you all the best and baby dust. Contact me for birth services when your time comes.
- I do not attend terminations (abortions). There are doulas that offer that service. Usually doulas that call themselves full-spectrum doulas also attend and support that side of women's health.
- While I do post-birth checkups, I do not provide postpartum doula support including housekeeping, running errands, meal prep, or nannying.
Confidentiality
- I respect your privacy and keep health information and anything else you choose to share with me confidential.
- I will not release any information to a client’s family and friends unless the client requests I do so.
- I do not share who my clients are or any of their personal details including health history, medical decisions, how their birth went, or the names of anyone in the family.
- I do not announce a birth before the parents. With parental consent, I may post on my Facebook business page a welcome baby announcement or a little bit about the work that I do. Clients are welcome to post pictures including me on their social media. If a client posts a photo tagging my page, I may ask permission to share photos of me working as a doula.
- I will not post on social media who my clients are or any information about their birth without written consent. If a family is fine with having their photo and first names on my website or Facebook with a review, I would be happy to post an approved photo with consent to share about my work as a doula.
Services offered
- Support from early pregnancy through up to 3 months postpartum
- I am available for hire any time after pregnancy is confirmed. You are welcome to hire me in early pregnancy or late in the third trimester.
- Prenatal education: After hire, I am always available to answer questions and provide resources upon request. Please visit the Maternal-infant Wellness Education page for education on reproductive health, maternity care, infant care, and family wellness.
- Birth preparation: During our prenatal appointments, we will prepare for the birth as well as the postpartum period and early days of bringing home a little one.
- Birth support: I support all types of births in all locations with any type of medical care provider.
- Breastfeeding support is included for all doula clients at no extra charge. I am a certified breastfeeding specialist.
- Postpartum appointments will consist of checking on the family, answering questions, assessing breastfeeding, checking up on their recovery, assessing mental wellness and discussing any concerns over postpartum depression or anxiety (or just stress), providing emotional support, offering any requested resources, and closure of services.
- I do my best to customize services to fit what the family needs. Some people may want more hands-on physical support. Others may primarily be interested in having a doula so they aren’t alone. Let’s have open communication and work together to create the best birth experience possible.
I also offer childbirth education and lactation support as two separate services.
Packages to choose from
You can choose the base package alone or with any combination from the a la carte options.
You can also choose the hourly support birth package either on its own or with any combination of the a la carte options.
Base package
Prenatal appointments: 1 intake appointment
The intake appointment is for client information, history, and to discuss client preferences for doula support, and discuss birth plans.
Birth support: active labor through delivery
In-person support physically and mentally will be provided from active labor through delivery. I stay an hour or two after births to take care of momma, make sure breastfeeding is started well, and help the family get settled in.
Postpartum appointments: 1 follow-up appointment
Within a month of delivery (whatever time the client chooses works best for her), we will do a follow-up. We review the birth, address postpartum healing, and discuss any concerns.
If there are ever concerns over mental health postpartum, I am always available.
A la carte options
Prenatally
Postpartum
Up to 2 additional appointments for support
*These additional appointments are not for breastfeeding support. That is a separate service.
You can also choose the hourly support birth package either on its own or with any combination of the a la carte options.
Base package
Prenatal appointments: 1 intake appointment
The intake appointment is for client information, history, and to discuss client preferences for doula support, and discuss birth plans.
Birth support: active labor through delivery
In-person support physically and mentally will be provided from active labor through delivery. I stay an hour or two after births to take care of momma, make sure breastfeeding is started well, and help the family get settled in.
Postpartum appointments: 1 follow-up appointment
Within a month of delivery (whatever time the client chooses works best for her), we will do a follow-up. We review the birth, address postpartum healing, and discuss any concerns.
If there are ever concerns over mental health postpartum, I am always available.
A la carte options
Prenatally
- Coping with contractions (All day workshop)
- Birth plan guidance and creation
- Discussing patient rights and practicing self-advocacy
Postpartum
Up to 2 additional appointments for support
*These additional appointments are not for breastfeeding support. That is a separate service.
Hourly support, off call
This is a budget friendly option. The way it works is the doula is paid by the hour. The client hires the doula prenatally, sets a cap at how much they are able to pay, and calls the doula when labor begins or when they arrive at the hospital for induction or cesarean. The client does not need to pay the doula any money at all unless the doula is called in to work. Payment is made when the doula arrives at the birth location. The lump sum (pre-determined budget) will be paid at arrival, and any hours unused will be refunded before I leave.
The catch is I am not on call. This budget option allows for hiring doula services the day it is needed. I may or may not be available to come or I may be available that day/night until a specific time. If I am unable to come, the client pays nothing. If I am able to come, the client pays when I arrive on location. The client determines how long I stay (up to 12 hours at a time).
Here is an example of how to use the hourly doula services. We’ll call the client Jennah. The hourly charge is $40.
Jennah has a $400 budget for doula services. She opts for the hourly services. The cap is determined at time of hire. $400 is 10 hours of care. When Jennah goes into labor, she calls me and gives me a heads up. I’m available. After laboring at home on her own for a while, Jennah is ready for the doula to come. I meet her at home or her chosen birth location. She needs a doula for 7 hours. The doula is paid $280 before leaving the birth location. If Jennah decides to, any leftover funds can be used for lactation support or a postpartum appointment.
The catch is I am not on call. This budget option allows for hiring doula services the day it is needed. I may or may not be available to come or I may be available that day/night until a specific time. If I am unable to come, the client pays nothing. If I am able to come, the client pays when I arrive on location. The client determines how long I stay (up to 12 hours at a time).
Here is an example of how to use the hourly doula services. We’ll call the client Jennah. The hourly charge is $40.
Jennah has a $400 budget for doula services. She opts for the hourly services. The cap is determined at time of hire. $400 is 10 hours of care. When Jennah goes into labor, she calls me and gives me a heads up. I’m available. After laboring at home on her own for a while, Jennah is ready for the doula to come. I meet her at home or her chosen birth location. She needs a doula for 7 hours. The doula is paid $280 before leaving the birth location. If Jennah decides to, any leftover funds can be used for lactation support or a postpartum appointment.
Fees
A consultation appointment for a meet-and-greet to interview is free. We will meet in a public location for the interview.
The base package is $700.
A la carte fees:
The hourly support package is $40 an hour.
Fees are non-negotiable. I have a flat fee for all types of births (and all outcomes) with equal charges for families of all income levels.
50% of the fee is due at the time of hire. The rest is due by 36 weeks or before the birth. Payment must be received in full before birth for the doula to attend labor and delivery.
Payment methods accepted:
The base package is $700.
A la carte fees:
- Additional prenatal appointments: $100 each
- Accompanying prenatal appointments to your OB or midwife: $50
- Additional postpartum appointments: $75 each
The hourly support package is $40 an hour.
Fees are non-negotiable. I have a flat fee for all types of births (and all outcomes) with equal charges for families of all income levels.
50% of the fee is due at the time of hire. The rest is due by 36 weeks or before the birth. Payment must be received in full before birth for the doula to attend labor and delivery.
Payment methods accepted:
- Invoices are sent through Paypal. That allows you to pay with your checking account, savings account, debit card, or credit card that is Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express. If you do not have a Paypal account, you can pay with a debit card or credit card.
- Cash is also accepted.
Service areas 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 Auglaize and Allen counties depending on distance (and proximity to I-75).
Exceptions: I do not serve Butler, Hamilton, or Franklin counties.
Hospitals and birthing centers in those areas
My immediate area:
Montgomery County
Hospitals: Kettering, Southview, Miami Valley, MV South
Birthing centers: Miami Valley Hospital has a birthing center.
Greene County
Hospitals: Soin
Clark County
Hospitals: Mercy Health - Springfield Regional
Miami County
Hospitals: Upper Valley
The surrounding areas:
Warren County
Hospitals: Atrium
Birthing centers: There is a birthing center inside of Atrium hospital
Clinton County
Hospitals: Clinton Memorial
Madison County
Hospitals: Madison Health
I am also available to serve families at St. Rita's in Lima.
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 Auglaize and Allen counties depending on distance (and proximity to I-75).
Exceptions: I do not serve Butler, Hamilton, or Franklin counties.
Hospitals and birthing centers in those areas
My immediate area:
Montgomery County
Hospitals: Kettering, Southview, Miami Valley, MV South
Birthing centers: Miami Valley Hospital has a birthing center.
Greene County
Hospitals: Soin
Clark County
Hospitals: Mercy Health - Springfield Regional
Miami County
Hospitals: Upper Valley
The surrounding areas:
Warren County
Hospitals: Atrium
Birthing centers: There is a birthing center inside of Atrium hospital
Clinton County
Hospitals: Clinton Memorial
Madison County
Hospitals: Madison Health
I am also available to serve families at St. Rita's in Lima.
Contact me for a consultation
Note: I am unable to provide services in homes with a cat. They are very adorable creatures, but I am very allergic (which is forever sad because they're so cute). If prenatal and postpartum appointments can be held in another home, I can provide birth support upon arrival to the hospital or birthing center.
Click the button below to contact me via email. Please initially contact through emailing via my website. Social media message requests may not give a notification. In the email, include your name and general area as well as contact information. If a phone number is given, please note whether call or text is preferred and what time of day is best.
After a pre-consultation questionnaire, we can get together in a safe, public location for a meet-and-greet.
Click the button below to contact me via email. Please initially contact through emailing via my website. Social media message requests may not give a notification. In the email, include your name and general area as well as contact information. If a phone number is given, please note whether call or text is preferred and what time of day is best.
After a pre-consultation questionnaire, we can get together in a safe, public location for a meet-and-greet.
Education: comprehensive, applicable, and science based
Support: your birth your way
Empowerment: giving you the tools to lead your health care
About me as a doula
My philosophy on birth care
My philosophy on birth is that families should receive evidence based care with informed consent and respected refusal. I do not advocate for natural birth or a certain birth experience for everyone. I do not think women should be pressured to deliver in any way other than what they want. Birth is highly unique. Each and every birth is different just as every family is. My goal is to support families to have the closest experience they can to their ideal birth. In addition to that, I offer guidance and emotional support when things do not go as planned or when unexpected complications arise.
My style
Calm. Intuitive. Supportive. Teaching. Listening. Guiding.
I'm here. I'm here to come alongside your family and navigate this birth journey. I'm here to teach you your options, give you tips on how to accomplish your goals, demonstrate the techniques to cope with contractions, guide the dad/partner in being involved, and be a steady person as you walk through this transition from pregnancy to holding your baby in your arms.
Education
Degree: health sciences (Sinclair, 2018)
I plan to continue my education at Ohio University gaining a bachelor's of science in integrated healthcare studies with a minor in community and public health + a second minor in political science.
Certifications:
I stay current on first aid and basic life saver
Certified breastfeeding specialist (Lactation Education Resources, 2014 and 2021)
I am certified as a birth doula and also as a bereavement doula.
Trainings:
Birth doula (multiple programs, 2008, 2018)
Bereavement doula (2018)
Previously:
I was previously certified as a chemical dependency (drug addiction) counselor assistant. (Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, Feb. 2016 - Feb. 2017)
Why I became a doula
I don’t think there was ever a moment where I suddenly decided to become a birth worker. I think I was born with the purpose of educating and supporting birthing families. I’ve always been drawn to this field of health care. At the young age of 16, I fell in love with the idea of becoming a midwife. In 2008 I did my first doula training. In 2013 I decided to pursue nurse-midwifery and the path to become an IBCLC. In 2014 I did my lactation training through Lactation Education Resources earning certification as a breastfeeding specialist. At the same time, I started college as a nursing major. I later switched to health sciences after much time reflecting on what I felt my path was. I have a lot of love for nurses, but I feel called to patient education and support. I always knew I was made to teach. In 2018 I graduated with a degree in health sciences. While there are many things I could do with that degree, the only thing on my heart was birth-work. This is a beautiful, amazing, sometimes crazy, yet powerful and transforming area of healthcare. It's a blessing to walk alongside people in their season of bringing forth new life. What a beautiful calling. I wouldn't want to be in any other specialty. So -- two weeks after I graduated -- I opened up shop offering doula services again. Honestly, I don’t feel that there was a moment or event where I became a doula. It’s been more of an unraveling of something I always was. I know it in my core that this is something God made me for. Made for healthcare. Made for patient education. Made for women's health. Made for birth work. Made to doula. And, thus, I have arrived. This was my journey all along. I was born for this, and I love it.
For more general information about me, visit my about me page here.
My philosophy on birth is that families should receive evidence based care with informed consent and respected refusal. I do not advocate for natural birth or a certain birth experience for everyone. I do not think women should be pressured to deliver in any way other than what they want. Birth is highly unique. Each and every birth is different just as every family is. My goal is to support families to have the closest experience they can to their ideal birth. In addition to that, I offer guidance and emotional support when things do not go as planned or when unexpected complications arise.
My style
Calm. Intuitive. Supportive. Teaching. Listening. Guiding.
I'm here. I'm here to come alongside your family and navigate this birth journey. I'm here to teach you your options, give you tips on how to accomplish your goals, demonstrate the techniques to cope with contractions, guide the dad/partner in being involved, and be a steady person as you walk through this transition from pregnancy to holding your baby in your arms.
Education
Degree: health sciences (Sinclair, 2018)
I plan to continue my education at Ohio University gaining a bachelor's of science in integrated healthcare studies with a minor in community and public health + a second minor in political science.
Certifications:
I stay current on first aid and basic life saver
Certified breastfeeding specialist (Lactation Education Resources, 2014 and 2021)
I am certified as a birth doula and also as a bereavement doula.
Trainings:
Birth doula (multiple programs, 2008, 2018)
Bereavement doula (2018)
Previously:
I was previously certified as a chemical dependency (drug addiction) counselor assistant. (Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board, Feb. 2016 - Feb. 2017)
Why I became a doula
I don’t think there was ever a moment where I suddenly decided to become a birth worker. I think I was born with the purpose of educating and supporting birthing families. I’ve always been drawn to this field of health care. At the young age of 16, I fell in love with the idea of becoming a midwife. In 2008 I did my first doula training. In 2013 I decided to pursue nurse-midwifery and the path to become an IBCLC. In 2014 I did my lactation training through Lactation Education Resources earning certification as a breastfeeding specialist. At the same time, I started college as a nursing major. I later switched to health sciences after much time reflecting on what I felt my path was. I have a lot of love for nurses, but I feel called to patient education and support. I always knew I was made to teach. In 2018 I graduated with a degree in health sciences. While there are many things I could do with that degree, the only thing on my heart was birth-work. This is a beautiful, amazing, sometimes crazy, yet powerful and transforming area of healthcare. It's a blessing to walk alongside people in their season of bringing forth new life. What a beautiful calling. I wouldn't want to be in any other specialty. So -- two weeks after I graduated -- I opened up shop offering doula services again. Honestly, I don’t feel that there was a moment or event where I became a doula. It’s been more of an unraveling of something I always was. I know it in my core that this is something God made me for. Made for healthcare. Made for patient education. Made for women's health. Made for birth work. Made to doula. And, thus, I have arrived. This was my journey all along. I was born for this, and I love it.
For more general information about me, visit my about me page here.