Faithful Birth with Leanna Mae
- Rooted in Christian faith
- Comprehensive classes for the intelligent woman
- Caring doula support
- Daily access to a professional who can answer your questions and help you navigate your journey
This is a Christian faith-based business offering education in women's health and birth support
in the greater Dayton/Springfield, Ohio area
Hello and welcome!
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Congratulations on your upcoming birth! I would love to support you in birth preparation and through labor & delivery.
Check out the page here for more information. If you feel like I'm a good fit for the kind of doula you're looking for, click on the contact button to send an email. I'll email you with a pre-consultation questionnaire. Once that is submitted, we'll schedule a free consult at your favorite cafe. We'll get together and chat about what doula support can look like for you and about your birth experience. We'll talk about what doula services include and don't include, your maternity care, what your goals are, and how you want to be supported. I look forward to hearing from you :) |
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What a birth doula is (and is not)
A doula is a professional support person to partner with throughout maternity care.
Introductory definition: A birth doula is a professional support person for a birthing woman and her family. Doulas offer birth preparation and they provide physical and emotional support during labor and delivery plus the early postpartum period. During pregnancy, they will help you prepare for the birth and make plans to reach your goals. During birth, they offer support through physical support methods, emotional support, and can guide the partner in ways he can be involved or lead the support. They also carry wisdom in how to help labor progress naturally. During postpartum, they stay for a while after the birth and then follow up with at least one appointment after the birth. Many also provide lactation support. While all professional doulas should go through a training program, they may or may not be certified.
They do:
They don’t:
Multiple hats: Some doulas are exclusively birth doulas. Others are also postpartum doulas. A lot of us are also educators. Many of us also have some level of lactation training to support breastfeeding. Your doula may have services that blend more than one role such as education, birth doula support, and lactation consultancy. I personally blend all 3 of those roles in one service. Sometimes doulas have a medical background such as nursing or another role in healthcare. They may have a health-related degree. If they do, those are roles that have to be kept separate and cannot be blended into doula services. We can't blend nursing or other clinical health professional roles into the doula role because the doula role is a non-clinical one. While we will always carry the knowledge we have, those of us that have a medical background do have to stay in a support role and refrain from stepping into the clinical.
Variety of backgrounds: Doulas come from a variety of backgrounds, family types, and birthing experiences. While the vast majority of doulas are women, there are a few men out there who have joined this career field. Professional doulas may or may not be parents themselves. Historically and traditionally, it was a role filled by mothers and often seen as a peer support role. Just as lactation support has evolved from peer support to a professional role in women's health, doula work evolved to it being a career with more and more education/training available. It is now considered a profession in women’s health (not a peer support role). In some areas, birthing centers and hospitals have doulas on staff. Just like OB/Gyns and midwives and L&D nurses, individual professionals may or may not have had a natural birth or ever had children. There is a wide variety of backgrounds and doulas have come into this career for numerous reasons. Quite a lot of doulas get into this career after having their own natural births and wanting to help other women do the same. Quite a lot go into doula work after experiencing bad maternity care and they want to improve the system. Others are called by God or drawn into this line of work one way or the other. For the sake of transparency, I personally do not have children. I never married. I got into this work because it's a calling. For me, it's all about educating and supporting women.
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. Interview several and find the match that is best for you.
Common mission: Our common goal is to support growing families and improve maternity care!
They do:
- Prepare you and your husband/partner for birth
- Offer education - different doulas offer different levels of education or different classes depending on packages available
- Help you improve your communication with your care team (if needed)
- Teach you how to advocate for yourself and navigate the maternity care system
- Provide support physically to the mother, emotionally to the couple, and guide the husband/partner in supporting the laboring woman
- Help labor progress naturally through a variety of methods
- 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).
- Inform of resources and know what's available in the community
They don’t:
- Replace the dad or any family member (or good friend)
- Replace or substitute for a midwife - a doula is a support person while a midwife is a medical care provider
- Provide medical care, take vitals, or monitor fetal heart tones
- Make health decisions for the client
- Give medical advice or recommend medications/supplements
- Encourage people to go against medical advice from their chosen provider or from the hospital staff
- Speak on behalf of the client
Multiple hats: Some doulas are exclusively birth doulas. Others are also postpartum doulas. A lot of us are also educators. Many of us also have some level of lactation training to support breastfeeding. Your doula may have services that blend more than one role such as education, birth doula support, and lactation consultancy. I personally blend all 3 of those roles in one service. Sometimes doulas have a medical background such as nursing or another role in healthcare. They may have a health-related degree. If they do, those are roles that have to be kept separate and cannot be blended into doula services. We can't blend nursing or other clinical health professional roles into the doula role because the doula role is a non-clinical one. While we will always carry the knowledge we have, those of us that have a medical background do have to stay in a support role and refrain from stepping into the clinical.
Variety of backgrounds: Doulas come from a variety of backgrounds, family types, and birthing experiences. While the vast majority of doulas are women, there are a few men out there who have joined this career field. Professional doulas may or may not be parents themselves. Historically and traditionally, it was a role filled by mothers and often seen as a peer support role. Just as lactation support has evolved from peer support to a professional role in women's health, doula work evolved to it being a career with more and more education/training available. It is now considered a profession in women’s health (not a peer support role). In some areas, birthing centers and hospitals have doulas on staff. Just like OB/Gyns and midwives and L&D nurses, individual professionals may or may not have had a natural birth or ever had children. There is a wide variety of backgrounds and doulas have come into this career for numerous reasons. Quite a lot of doulas get into this career after having their own natural births and wanting to help other women do the same. Quite a lot go into doula work after experiencing bad maternity care and they want to improve the system. Others are called by God or drawn into this line of work one way or the other. For the sake of transparency, I personally do not have children. I never married. I got into this work because it's a calling. For me, it's all about educating and supporting women.
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. Interview several and find the match that is best for you.
Common mission: Our common goal is to support growing families and improve maternity care!
The benefits of having a birth doula
Check out the slideshow for benefits on doula support. Refer to this blog for citation or to read it in list form.
Service area
Labor and delivery units in my service area
I live in a small town about halfway in between Dayton and Springfield. Here are the hospitals in my service area and approximately how far they are from me. My service area is within an hour to an hour and a half. I give consideration to potential winter weather around the due date and what number baby this is when deciding how far away to take clients.
SPRINGFIELD AREA
DAYTON AREA
NORTH CINCI AREA
WEST OF DAYTON/CINCI
NORTH OF DAYTON
COLUMBUS AREA
SOUTHEAST
We have had a lot of labor and delivery units close or consolidate here in Ohio. The following hospitals no longer offer maternity care.
I live in a small town about halfway in between Dayton and Springfield. Here are the hospitals in my service area and approximately how far they are from me. My service area is within an hour to an hour and a half. I give consideration to potential winter weather around the due date and what number baby this is when deciding how far away to take clients.
SPRINGFIELD AREA
- Mercy – Springfield Regional Medical Center (20 minutes)
DAYTON AREA
- Miami Valley main (24 minutes)
- Kettering main (28 minutes)
- Kettering Washington Township, formerly Southview (31 minutes)
NORTH CINCI AREA
- Atrium in Middletown (43 minutes)
- Christ Hospital Liberty Township (51 minutes)
- UC West Chester (50 minutes)
- Bethesda North (1 hour 5 minutes)
WEST OF DAYTON/CINCI
- Kettering Health Hamilton (1 hour 5 minutes)
- Trihealth McCullough-Hyde in Oxford (1 hour 11 minutes)
- Reid Health in Richmond, Indiana (54 minutes)
- Ascension in Winchester, Indiana (1 hour 15 minutes)
NORTH OF DAYTON
- Wayne Healthcare in Greenville (49 minutes)
- Mercer Health in Coldwater (1 hour 21 minutes)
- Joint Township District Memorial in St. Mary’s (1 hour 7 minutes)
- St. Rita’s in Lima (1 hour 23 minutes)
- Lima Memorial (1 hour 19 minutes)
- Wilson Health in Sidney (43 minutes)
- Mary Rutan in Bellefountaine (1 hour)
- Memorial Ohio in Marysville (1 hour 3 minutes)
COLUMBUS AREA
- Dublin Methodist (1 hour 6 minutes)
- OhioHealth Doctor’s Hospital in Lincoln Village (57 minutes)
- Mount Caramel Grove City (1 hour 9 minutes)
SOUTHEAST
- TriHealth Clinton Regional Hospital, formerly Clinton Memorial, in Wilmington (54 minutes)
We have had a lot of labor and delivery units close or consolidate here in Ohio. The following hospitals no longer offer maternity care.
- Soin in Beavercreek sadly closed their unit in November of 2025.
- Mercy Health Fairfield closed in May of 2024.
- Upper Valley in Troy closed their unit in February of 2024.
- The hospital on base (Wright Patt Medical Center) closed their unit in 2023.
- Miami Valley South closed their unit in 2022.
- Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro closed their unit in 2022.
- Madison Health in London closed their unit in 2020.
- Bluffton Hospital closed their unit in 2020.
- Good Sam Hospital in Dayton closed the entire hospital in 2018.
- Fayette Medical Center in Washington Courthouse closed their unit in 2010.
- Greene Memorial in Xenia closed their unit in 2009.
The interactive map shows the hospitals in my service area. You can click on the menu to the left to see a list of all the hospitals. Click on the location to open it in Google Maps and get directions.
The offer
Prenatally
The birth
Postpartum
Doula services last up to 7 months (approximately up to 32 weeks) if you begin at 16 weeks.
- Services begin at 16+ weeks pregnant or later. Consultations are available at 14 weeks and beyond. It's never too late to hire as long as we have time to do all the appointments.
- As soon as you hire, I'll manually enroll you in the online class let's talk birth plans. After you complete the online class, we'll do our first prenatal appointment. You'll have access to this class for a year.
- 1st appointment: client intake, review of the birth plan class and development of your birth plan
- The 3-day comprehensive class on coping with contractions is included in doula services. These are private classes taught in your home. If you prefer to do group classes, that may be an option. This class is where we really develop your plan for your birth, I get to know your style and needs, and we practice all the techniques so you are familiar with all options before labor starts.
- There are a total of 4 prenatal appointments and include full classes.
- Outside of appointments, virtual support is available 24/7 via email, text, and phone call.
- Guidance navigating the maternity care system for office care and the hospital
- Weekly faith-rooted encouragement
- Gift included: your own rebozo
The birth
- I support all types of birth - natural (unmedicated), epidurals, inductions, c-sections, high risk, low risk, however the journey goes. I'm here to walk beside you and support you however you need it in your birth journey.
- I come whenever you are ready for me to. I don't require you to be a certain cm. or officially in active labor.
- Unlimited birth support (I may take a break after 12 hours). There is no limit to the amount of hours.
- Access to all of my birth supplies (a $500+ value)
- Physical support for the mother
- Guidance on positions and techniques to help labor along naturally
- Emotional support for the couple
- If desired, I can teach/guide your other support people how they can help (as much as you want them to)
- Breastfeeding assistance after birth
- I stay about an hour and a half to two hours or so after the birth. I don't put a strict time frame on this. It's whatever you need. I want to make sure mom and baby are settled in well and breastfeeding is going well before I go.
Postpartum
- Breastfeeding assistance after birth and throughout the rest of services
- Virtual support is available 24/7
- The postpartum appointments are casual (no curriculum or formality) check-ins that are between half an hour to two hours long depending on what is needed.
- The 1st postpartum appointment is within the first week or two. This is to check in on birth recovery, assess breastfeeding (making sure we catch any issues early), and make sure mom is recovering well too.
- The second postpartum appointment is around the 6 week mark. This is to make sure the family has settled in well, recovery is going well for momma, check in on mental health, and to say our farewell as we close the chapter.
- Services close 40 days (6 weeks) after birth
Doula services last up to 7 months (approximately up to 32 weeks) if you begin at 16 weeks.
What you get when you connect with support
When you connect with support, you get
- My personal cell number you can contact anytime
- Someone who knows birth well and can answer your questions (within my scope of practice)
- A doula that listens
- A support person who cares about you as a person and takes the time to get to know what’s important to you, your hopes and dreams, concerns and fears, your personality, how you communicate, how you make decisions, and the little things that matter to you
- A professional who can help you explore options and nurture your decision-making process while you lead your healthcare
- Support without biases or agendas – I truly support what you want for your birth whether that be natural birth or epidural or cesarean, hospital or home, whatever you feel is right for you. I’m not here to tell you what to do or say things like “Here’s what I would do”. I don’t share my preferences or personal choices because this isn’t about me.
- A friendly counselor when you need to talk
- A guide that is familiar with local resources in the community
- A calm and gentle source of support
- You’ll have a fellow Christian who will pray for you and point you to stay rooted in Jesus throughout the journey
- My goal is to serve families with the fruit of the Spirit.
- A peaceful doula to walk through labor and delivery with you
- And, of course, 5 star birth support
The value in this
Support makes a difference. We know the statistics on the benefits of doula support. We know it improves outcomes in birth, breastfeeding, and mental health. We know the pros of having professional support. I’d love to show the experience of how valuable it is to have a steady support person.
A woman may give birth a few times in her life. It will be one of the most important and special days you’ll always remember. One thing women always remember is how they were treated in such a vulnerable time and sacred moment. Be intentional with choosing your birth support team. You deserve high quality care.
Birth support matters because women matter. Your health, your wellness, your maternity care, your birth, your journey… it’s worth investing in. Truly, this is a season in life to make sure your wellness is prioritized and you are taken care of.
A woman may give birth a few times in her life. It will be one of the most important and special days you’ll always remember. One thing women always remember is how they were treated in such a vulnerable time and sacred moment. Be intentional with choosing your birth support team. You deserve high quality care.
Birth support matters because women matter. Your health, your wellness, your maternity care, your birth, your journey… it’s worth investing in. Truly, this is a season in life to make sure your wellness is prioritized and you are taken care of.
The investment
- Birth doula services are $2400.
- If you have already taken the coping with contractions class with this pregnancy, I will deduct the cost you paid for the class from doula services if you do not want to take the class a second time. (That means there will only be one prenatal appointment.)
- If you signed up for any online classes and later decided you wanted to work with me as a doula, I will deduct the cost you paid for the classes from your doula contract (and you will continue your access to the online classes).
- If you have an HSA or FSA, that can pay for doula services.
- Your health insurance company may offer reimbursement. I am not covered by any insurance companies. I am exclusively private pay and will continue to be so. That way I can be sure of what my wages will be and can avoid having to raise costs on everybody due to insurance companies not always reimbursing the same amount as businesses charge, claim denials, insurance companies not paying businesses in a timely manner, and other such issues with health insurance companies. Self-pay allows me to keep costs as low as I can afford to and be able to spend as much time as we want to (no time limits or appointment limits, no insurance companies limiting or dictating my care). Autonomous care is freedom to serve families in the way they need.
- Invoices are sent through Paypal. Check is also accepted. If paying in full at the time of hire, check is preferred.
- Payment is due in full by 36 weeks.
- Payment plans are available monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly.
- There is a flat fee for all types of births. I will never charge anyone more for longer labors, c-sections, extra support needed, complicated cases, etc. Fees are non-negotiable.
- If a backup doula is needed, I pay for that out of my pocket ($40 an hour). I do not pass that expense onto clients.
Who this is for
This service is for women/couples who are committed to investing in their support. This is for women who want education – not basic, not introductory – but comprehensive classes. I don’t just share information. I teach application. I want you to develop your depth of understanding and your skills to be able to meet your goals. Be ready to be engaged in classes and have discussion on these topics. I might give you a little bit of homework or reading material sometimes (always optional). My goal is to empower you with education and the tools/techniques you need to transform your birth experience and overall maternity care.
This is for women who will take the time to learn. I’m a good fit for knowledge seekers who want to have the information before making decisions and take a balanced approach in their perspectives. I love working with intelligent people who ask questions and are proactive in leading their healthcare. My degree is in health sciences. We can get as nerdy as you want to with research.
I am also a faith-based business. If you’re looking for a Christian doula that aligns with your faith and values, I’d love to talk to you.
This is for women who will take the time to learn. I’m a good fit for knowledge seekers who want to have the information before making decisions and take a balanced approach in their perspectives. I love working with intelligent people who ask questions and are proactive in leading their healthcare. My degree is in health sciences. We can get as nerdy as you want to with research.
I am also a faith-based business. If you’re looking for a Christian doula that aligns with your faith and values, I’d love to talk to you.
A foundation of faith
My writing, my classes, and my support is founded on Christian faith. What makes it a Christian business? The Lord called me to do this work, and I want to integrate my faith into my practice.
- I am a devout Christian, Apostolic Pentecostal. I follow Jesus daily and strive to grow in my walk with the Lord.
- I pray for and with my clients.
- We use scripture to prepare for birth with faith. I have bible verses that are encouraging for birth and I bring index cards if you want to write them down to hang around the room.
- We have faith-based affirmations. God is in the room. He is with us. Let’s nurture our faith and fix our eyes on the sovereign King.
- We worship during labor. One of my favorite things to do during labor is listen to worship music.
- My desire is to take care of families with a servant mindset. I’m not here to watch you give birth or to hold your baby. I’m here for you, momma. I’m here to serve you and support you. My focus is on taking care of the woman.
- My goal is to serve others with the fruit of the Spirit. I want to bring peace into your labor. I want to serve you with love and kindness and joy. I always want to be gentle in my care so you feel safe and respected with me.
- This company has biblical family values. Family is a beautiful design.
- God-given womanhood is honored. Women are uniquely created to bring life into this world through pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. Motherhood is a gift. Traditional/biblical gender pronouns are used.
- Children are a blessing from the Lord. We cherish life from the moment of conception around here and we pray for these little ones that they may be healthy and grow up to love Jesus. This is a pro-life company.
- All of my writing and educational content is written from a biblical worldview.
- 10% from every class and doula client is tithed to my church. Some of that then goes back into the community through outreach and service to others.
As a Christian with a faith-based business, it is my heart's desire to serve my doula clients with the fruit of the Spirit.
My philosophy on birth support and maternity care
My philosophy on healthcare is that patients should lead their health care and wellness. I believe a partnership model is best, not a pilot model. Take care of people and teach them how to take care of what they can. Patients should lead their own healthcare and lifestyle of wellness. I firmly believe that patient rights and medical freedom are human rights.
Oftentimes, women’s health issues are seen as mom issues more than they are seen as health issues, just like infertility issues such as endometriosis and PCOS are seen primarily as being about a woman’s ability to have a baby rather than being seen as daily health issues. This needs to change. I believe women’s health is a specialty of healthcare that is equally valid to other specialties. It is not lesser than.
Women’s health matters.
Maternity care matters.
You matter.
My philosophy on maternity care is that
I do not advocate for natural birth or a certain birth experience for everyone. If someone wants to go un-medicated, they should be supported. If someone wants an epidural, they should be supported. Birth is highly unique. Each and every birth is different. My goal as a doula is to support families to have the closest experience they can to their ideal birth.
I also feel that part of professional support is keeping personal preferences personal. As a doula, I try not to tell someone things like “Here’s what I would do.” or say anything to try to persuade someone to make the same choices as me. I find it most professional to keep my own preferences to myself. My support is client-centered. Any input from me will be based in education, professional experience, or a nudge from the Holy Spirit. That is part of my philosophy on maternity care as a doula. We birth-workers as a whole should all be client-focused rather than talking about our own choices.
I intentionally strive to acknowledge the vastness of birth experiences: natural pain management and epidurals, vaginal and cesarean, healthy and unhealthy, low risk and high risk, different birth locations, different preferences, different perspectives.
There is beauty in all birth and all birth deserves support.
Oftentimes, women’s health issues are seen as mom issues more than they are seen as health issues, just like infertility issues such as endometriosis and PCOS are seen primarily as being about a woman’s ability to have a baby rather than being seen as daily health issues. This needs to change. I believe women’s health is a specialty of healthcare that is equally valid to other specialties. It is not lesser than.
Women’s health matters.
Maternity care matters.
You matter.
My philosophy on maternity care is that
- Women must maintain the right to consent and decline in all circumstances. Patient rights are essential and should not be compromised because of pregnancy or birth.
- Obstetric care and midwifery care should be centered on evidence-based practices.
- Healthy outcomes for mom and baby are the main goal. Birth experience and impact on mental health is part of the outcome.
- Birth is a normal process. In itself, it is not an emergency or a problem. Complications do happen and risk factors are legitimate. Some women do need a higher level of medical care while others may not need any at all.
- God’s design is not defective. In most cases, a healthy woman with a healthy pregnancy will have a healthy birth. For the times that things do go wrong just like all other processes the body is designed to do can go into dysfunction, we have the people that God called into healthcare to help for those situations.
I do not advocate for natural birth or a certain birth experience for everyone. If someone wants to go un-medicated, they should be supported. If someone wants an epidural, they should be supported. Birth is highly unique. Each and every birth is different. My goal as a doula is to support families to have the closest experience they can to their ideal birth.
I also feel that part of professional support is keeping personal preferences personal. As a doula, I try not to tell someone things like “Here’s what I would do.” or say anything to try to persuade someone to make the same choices as me. I find it most professional to keep my own preferences to myself. My support is client-centered. Any input from me will be based in education, professional experience, or a nudge from the Holy Spirit. That is part of my philosophy on maternity care as a doula. We birth-workers as a whole should all be client-focused rather than talking about our own choices.
I intentionally strive to acknowledge the vastness of birth experiences: natural pain management and epidurals, vaginal and cesarean, healthy and unhealthy, low risk and high risk, different birth locations, different preferences, different perspectives.
There is beauty in all birth and all birth deserves support.
Why I serve as a doula
I was always fascinated by healthcare and I was always especially drawn to women's health. I don't think there was ever a specific moment that I got interested in birth-work. I was always drawn to it. I learned what a midwife was when I was a teenager and knew I was interested in that field. It felt like the right path for me. When I found out about doulas and learned that this role exists, I immediately wanted to become a doula. It feels like something that was always a part of me and it's bloomed over the years. I feel Jesus gave me a purpose for this work and a passion for this. He led me down this path, and it’s a beautiful one. Doula work is a beautiful profession. While my focus is on patient education in women's health, I enjoy coming alongside those patients and doing the hands-on work with them throughout their birth journey. Teaching childbirth classes and doing doula work go together like peanut butter and apple jelly.
My goals are to
Improving outcomes and birth experiences is what it’s all about.
How do I do that? By educating and supporting one woman at a time, it makes a difference for her and it makes a ripple touching those around her. Change birth care for one woman and you will change it for her children too. Mothers impact generations. Improve the birth experience for one and you may ripple the effect to her family and friends. A pine tree grows one at a time, but when the wind carries the pollen that creates seeds new growth is formed. Over the years, you can grow an entire forest from what was once a bare field. One tree can grow a forest. Nurturing one woman can grow a community of women who are educated, supported, empowered, and go out to sprout into their own agents of growth. Take care of women. Nurture families. Cultivate wellness. That’s what I want to do.
I want to reach individuals, families, communities, and ultimately reach women around the world with education and support.
That is the reason I serve as a doula.
Doula work is not easy. Birth is not easy. Birth is a passage, a woman’s act of bringing forth life into this world. It is laborious work and it is powerful work. I am always in awe of the strength of mothers, the power of women, the greatness of birth. To serve as a doula is to come alongside women going through this experience.
It is to teach.
It is to grow.
It is to coach.
It is to instill confidence.
It is to encourage.
It is to hold space.
It is to tend to the needs of the bearers of life.
It is to help take care of this most special area of health.
While all areas of healthcare are important, women’s health is truly special.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve in this role.
My goals are to
- educate women about their reproductive health and prepare them for birth
- improve outcomes in maternal health
- improve outcomes in infant health, particularly breastfeeding
- continue the work of maternity care being more family-centered
- inform people of patient rights and advocate for patient-led healthcare with informed consent and respected decline
- support women and families in their birth experience
- build a stronger community of educated women who will in turn grow change in their communities and the generations to come
Improving outcomes and birth experiences is what it’s all about.
How do I do that? By educating and supporting one woman at a time, it makes a difference for her and it makes a ripple touching those around her. Change birth care for one woman and you will change it for her children too. Mothers impact generations. Improve the birth experience for one and you may ripple the effect to her family and friends. A pine tree grows one at a time, but when the wind carries the pollen that creates seeds new growth is formed. Over the years, you can grow an entire forest from what was once a bare field. One tree can grow a forest. Nurturing one woman can grow a community of women who are educated, supported, empowered, and go out to sprout into their own agents of growth. Take care of women. Nurture families. Cultivate wellness. That’s what I want to do.
I want to reach individuals, families, communities, and ultimately reach women around the world with education and support.
That is the reason I serve as a doula.
Doula work is not easy. Birth is not easy. Birth is a passage, a woman’s act of bringing forth life into this world. It is laborious work and it is powerful work. I am always in awe of the strength of mothers, the power of women, the greatness of birth. To serve as a doula is to come alongside women going through this experience.
It is to teach.
It is to grow.
It is to coach.
It is to instill confidence.
It is to encourage.
It is to hold space.
It is to tend to the needs of the bearers of life.
It is to help take care of this most special area of health.
While all areas of healthcare are important, women’s health is truly special.
I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve in this role.
Leanna's education and credentials
I was always interested in pursuing a career that allowed me to take care of people. I was always fascinated by science, especially how the body functioned. In my teen years, I started gravitating towards healthcare with a strong interest in women’s health. After learning about the career field of midwifery, I wanted to become a midwife. I suppose each person feels passion for something that they can’t quite explain why they struck a fire in their hearts for that topic. I can’t tell you a why or specifically when that became an interest because it interested me from as young as I can remember. All I can tell you is God called me to women’s health and my fire for it never burns out. At the young age of 20, I decided to become a doula as a stepping stone to being a midwife. This was before the days of social media being the mainstream. The internet was in its dinosaur days compared to now. This was the year I got my first email address (though I didn’t actually know how to send somebody mail over the computer). This was also the year I got my first cell phone, a tracfone from Kmart. I had never seen a book for or about doulas. Most people I knew had never heard of it and did not understand what I was taking off to Richmond, Virginia to do a training for. I don’t know that I knew enough about what a doula was to even fully understand the path I was headed down. I just knew that I felt led and I followed the pull.
In 2008 I became a birth doula.
In 2014 I became a certified breastfeeding specialist.
Also in 2014, I started college with the original plan of becoming a nurse, going into labor and delivery, and ultimately becoming a RN CNM (nurse-midwife) and IBCLC. I went to Sinclair. I thought I would get my ADN there, BSN at Wright State or Ohio State, and do midwifery school at Frontier. However, the further I got into my degree the more I felt like nursing wasn't the right path for me. There's so much I love about nursing, but it simply wasn't the right timing.
I graduated Sinclair College (Dayton, Ohio) in 2018 with an associate’s degree in health sciences. I absolutely love the degree that I have. It's perfect for me. Almost half of my program was electives. So, I really got to customize my education.
I decided not to go the nursing route because my heart's primary interest was for patient education. While nurses are excellent patient educators, they get less and less time at the bedside with patients. Overworked with excessive patient ratios and too much charting, I didn’t think there’d be time to do what I really wanted to do in healthcare – teach!
I did take a lot of mental health classes while in college and was previously certified as a chemical dependency counselor assistant. I have a heart for mental health especially anxiety, PTSD, depression, and substance abuse.
In 2019 I completed training as a bereavement doula.
After college, I started teaching classes independently from doula work.
Future education
I was the first in my immediate family to go to college and one of very few women in my entire extended family to complete college. Though I swore up and down I would never go back to school when I was in it before, I do find the accomplishment of education a little addictive. I don't want to settle at an associate's degree. I would like to have a bachelor's, but realistically it's not in the budget nor does it fit into my on-call lifestyle as a doula and the owner of two small businesses. That said, I also can't decide which path to go if I did go back to college.
1. I want to get my bachelor’s in integrated healthcare studies from Ohio University. If I go to grad school, Texas A&M has a master’s in education for healthcare professionals.
2. Finally get my nursing degree (probably back at Sinclair) and go on to be a nurse-midwife.
3. Or go the route of midwifery school without nursing and become a CPM.
I do feel called to midwifery work and that is something God has given me confirmation on, but it is not yet time to step from doula work into midwifery work. I haven't chosen a path yet: CNM or CPM. Paying for college and getting another degree is definitely an obstacle. The time requirements of midwifery are an obstacle as my focus is on writing and teaching. I'm sure when the time is right, I'll feel the tug.
Credentials
Degree:
Certificates:
In 2008 I became a birth doula.
In 2014 I became a certified breastfeeding specialist.
Also in 2014, I started college with the original plan of becoming a nurse, going into labor and delivery, and ultimately becoming a RN CNM (nurse-midwife) and IBCLC. I went to Sinclair. I thought I would get my ADN there, BSN at Wright State or Ohio State, and do midwifery school at Frontier. However, the further I got into my degree the more I felt like nursing wasn't the right path for me. There's so much I love about nursing, but it simply wasn't the right timing.
I graduated Sinclair College (Dayton, Ohio) in 2018 with an associate’s degree in health sciences. I absolutely love the degree that I have. It's perfect for me. Almost half of my program was electives. So, I really got to customize my education.
I decided not to go the nursing route because my heart's primary interest was for patient education. While nurses are excellent patient educators, they get less and less time at the bedside with patients. Overworked with excessive patient ratios and too much charting, I didn’t think there’d be time to do what I really wanted to do in healthcare – teach!
I did take a lot of mental health classes while in college and was previously certified as a chemical dependency counselor assistant. I have a heart for mental health especially anxiety, PTSD, depression, and substance abuse.
In 2019 I completed training as a bereavement doula.
After college, I started teaching classes independently from doula work.
Future education
I was the first in my immediate family to go to college and one of very few women in my entire extended family to complete college. Though I swore up and down I would never go back to school when I was in it before, I do find the accomplishment of education a little addictive. I don't want to settle at an associate's degree. I would like to have a bachelor's, but realistically it's not in the budget nor does it fit into my on-call lifestyle as a doula and the owner of two small businesses. That said, I also can't decide which path to go if I did go back to college.
1. I want to get my bachelor’s in integrated healthcare studies from Ohio University. If I go to grad school, Texas A&M has a master’s in education for healthcare professionals.
2. Finally get my nursing degree (probably back at Sinclair) and go on to be a nurse-midwife.
3. Or go the route of midwifery school without nursing and become a CPM.
I do feel called to midwifery work and that is something God has given me confirmation on, but it is not yet time to step from doula work into midwifery work. I haven't chosen a path yet: CNM or CPM. Paying for college and getting another degree is definitely an obstacle. The time requirements of midwifery are an obstacle as my focus is on writing and teaching. I'm sure when the time is right, I'll feel the tug.
Credentials
Degree:
- Associate of Applied Science in health sciences, Sinclair College (2018)
Certificates:
- BLS (first aid for healthcare workers) - currently certified through the Red Cross, previously AHA
- Birth doula - initial training through ALACE in 2008, certification through Stillbirthday in 2019
- Bereavement doula - Stillbirthday
- Breastfeeding specialist - Lactation Education Resources
Leanna's professional experience and abilities
I have experience supporting women in natural birth, vaginal delivery with epidurals, c-sections, and VBACs. I also have experience supporting birth complications and change in plans as smoothly as possible. I’ve supported low-risk and high-risk mothers. I have worked alongside obstetricians and midwives. I also have a lot of experience supporting mental health challenges and crises.
I am able to support all types of births confidently and calmly.
One thing I say often is “Every birth is different.” With each woman, I start over as a doula. I get to know that family. I get to know their own recipe of birth preferences and help them prepare. Different people cope differently. I have a wide selection of coping tools up my sleeve and experience using a variety of methods to help a mother through labor. Support is always customized and intuitive.
I am able to support all types of births confidently and calmly.
One thing I say often is “Every birth is different.” With each woman, I start over as a doula. I get to know that family. I get to know their own recipe of birth preferences and help them prepare. Different people cope differently. I have a wide selection of coping tools up my sleeve and experience using a variety of methods to help a mother through labor. Support is always customized and intuitive.
What all I do professionally
- author of nonfiction books
- blogger
- writer of handouts
- creator of digital downloads
- shirt shop on the side
- women's health educator (focus on birth prep)
- birth doula
- bereavement doula (when it crosses my path)
- breastfeeding specialist (for doula clients)
I have two small businesses: Ambitious Pages and Faithful Birth with Leanna Mae
AMBITIOUS PAGES
I write. I’m an author. I've written and indie published 5 nonfiction paperback books. Several of them have multiple editions (because they're nonfiction and get updated). I've published 12 times from 2012-2022. I'm currently writing a series on women's health. I’m also a blogger. I blog on Christian topics, women’s health, and the occasional random subject. I make handouts on women’s health. Writing is my purpose, my passion, my compulsion. It’s what I was born for. It’s the reason I breathe. It’s what I want to do every day all day. I love it with a consuming love, an unquenchable thirst, an everlasting abundant desire. Scripturient is my favorite word.
Here and there, I will create digital downloads.
To make a little money through my website without having ads, I have a shirt shop. I design shirts every now and then. I have fun with it. I don't have much time for this side hustle, but it is fun to create my own shirts.
FAITHFUL BIRTH WITH LEANNA MAE
I’m a maternal-infant wellness educator. I knew I wanted to teach about the spectrum of women’s health across the lifespan. So, the term "childbirth educator" didn’t feel right to me. It felt restrictive because I want to teach on women's health from menarche to menopause and everything in between. I thought for a while on what a good label would be and settled on maternal-infant wellness educator. That is my own term. It fits my goals. Teaching is a joy. It makes my heart smile to teach and watch my students grow.
I offer doula services part-time. I will take 1 or 2 births a month. Generally, 4 or 5 is considered full-time. Some doulas even do 6-8 births a month! However, I do more appointments than standard because I like to take a more comprehensive approach to prenatal education. I really enjoy coming alongside people, teaching them, guiding them, supporting them. There’s something special about walking with women through that journey. It’s a passage in life, and I regard it a deep privilege to be able to support women through that.
I also offer lactation support. Breastfeeding is a beautiful design. It can have some bumps in the road though. Tackling lactation obstacles and helping women meet their infant feeding goals is a rewarding job. Lactation support is now exclusively for doula clients due to time management needs.
ALSO
Someday I will add photography to this busy list. I have always loved taking pictures. Having a camera in my hand feels like an extension of me.
Availability
I take up to 2 births a month.
If I take a vacation or have any time that I plan to be unavailable for births, it will be planned well in advance and announced before I take any clients due around that time.
If I am unavailable to serve you, I'm happy to refer you to another doula in the area.
If I take a vacation or have any time that I plan to be unavailable for births, it will be planned well in advance and announced before I take any clients due around that time.
If I am unavailable to serve you, I'm happy to refer you to another doula in the area.
Ready to meet?
If this sounds like the kind of doula you want to partner with for your birth journey and maternity care, reach out to schedule a free consultation.
What I do during a birth
Here's a quick 101 on what I do during a birth. There's a lot that goes on and a lot that I do. For all the details, check out the blog linked at the bottom of this section.
I would love to put all the details on this page, but that would be a very long list. Doulas do a lot. Here is a blog on what I actually do as a doula. It lists in detail what I do during pregnancy, labor, delivery, right after birth, postpartum, and for lactation support.
- I come whenever they are ready. It can be from the very beginning of the induction. It can be early labor or active labor. Whenever you decide you want me there. I don't require clients to be a certain centimeter dilated or officially be in active labor. If you have an induction, I can pack a bag and stay with you from start to delivered.
- I provide physical support to the mother during labor and delivery. There are a variety of ways physical support can be provided. We go over the different methods in the prenatal class coping with contractions.
- I assist the dad in learning how to provide physical support to his partner. If the husband 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.
- During our prenatal appointments, we talk about how you want the environment and birth space to be and how you don’t want it to be. In mindfulness of those preferences, I strive to cultivate the birth space to be how she wants it to be.
- I offer options on ways we can help labor progress. There are a lot of position changes we can do, a lot of techniques available, ways we can support the nervous system, so much...
- I answer questions along the way and help mommas understand the maternity care available.
- As a Christian, I am happy to pray over the family and read scriptures or affirmations 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.
- Though I don’t have a DSLR camera, I am more than happy to take pictures with my iPhone. I also try to get video clips of the heartbeat when on the monitor and of the baby's cry in the first few moments.
- And I stay with these women for the journey. After 12 hours of work, I may take a break to run home and shower & eat, but I try really hard not to leave. If that means your birth journey is 2 or 3 days long, I'm here for the whole journey.
I would love to put all the details on this page, but that would be a very long list. Doulas do a lot. Here is a blog on what I actually do as a doula. It lists in detail what I do during pregnancy, labor, delivery, right after birth, postpartum, and for lactation support.
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.
- I do not attempt to intervene with medical care or encourage people to go against their doctor’s recommendations.
- I do not 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. While I am here to help patients learn how to advocate for themselves and I can advocate for your preferences in a professional way, doulas cannot go into a hospital and tell staff what they can and can't do. Only the patient has the authority to consent or decline.
- 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.
Why hire a doula?
Your birth is worth investing in. You are worth investing in. While we can’t guarantee outcomes, statistically having a doula lowers your chance of c-section and improves outcomes. That alone is worth the investment.
Having a doula is having professional level support every step of the way in a world that is often lonely. It’s having a listening ear at any hour. It’s guidance that comes from a place of seasoned wisdom. A doula stays by your side. A doula supports what you want for your own care and birth – no judgment, no bossy opinions from other women. A doula also helps you navigate any unexpected changes in the journey. We’re not just here for natural birth. We’re here for the high risk and the complications and the NICU stays and anything else that might come your way. It’s calm and steady even if things feel like chaos. It’s a peaceful presence, an advocate, an encourager.
It's signing up for education, someone to answer your questions, and someone to help you grow in your understanding of this season you’re walking through.
It’s bringing a wise woman into your birth who knows how to help you cope, how to help labor progress, and countless tips (wisdom nuggets) along the way.
Having a doula is having professional level support every step of the way in a world that is often lonely. It’s having a listening ear at any hour. It’s guidance that comes from a place of seasoned wisdom. A doula stays by your side. A doula supports what you want for your own care and birth – no judgment, no bossy opinions from other women. A doula also helps you navigate any unexpected changes in the journey. We’re not just here for natural birth. We’re here for the high risk and the complications and the NICU stays and anything else that might come your way. It’s calm and steady even if things feel like chaos. It’s a peaceful presence, an advocate, an encourager.
It's signing up for education, someone to answer your questions, and someone to help you grow in your understanding of this season you’re walking through.
It’s bringing a wise woman into your birth who knows how to help you cope, how to help labor progress, and countless tips (wisdom nuggets) along the way.
Choosing the doula that is the right fit for you
It’s important that your support people be a good fit for you. Think about the support style you want. Think about the education and credentials you prefer. Consider personalities, noise level, what that doula brings to the atmosphere of your birth. If you are a Christian woman, I do encourage you to choose a Christian doula that aligns with your faith. Interview different doulas and see who feels like a good match.
Does this align with what you're looking for?
I want you to partner with the doula who is the right fit for you. If you're looking for...
I'm on the other side of that contact tab.
- a Christian doula who honors God-given womanhood
- a pro-life doula that acknowledges life begins at conception
- someone who wants to serve with the fruit of the Spirit
- a teacher who writes her own comprehensive curricula and will show you how to put knowledge into action
- a calm, gentle, peaceful doula that is more soft-spoken and on the quiet side (we can definitely chat though)
- a good listener who has good counseling skills as well
- a well-educated doula
- a professional that is always studying and seeking to learn more and be even more helpful
- a doula that can handle anything
- someone who supports your choices and preferences for your own birth without putting their opinions in the mix
- a Holy Spirit led worker
- a person who is familiar enough with the healthcare system to teach you how to navigate well and optimize your healthcare experiences
- an encourager
- and a business owner that strives for excellence
I'm on the other side of that contact tab.
Space is limited
I choose to take a small client load so I can provide high quality support. I don’t ever want to have so many clients that I can’t remember their name or their story. I take one or two births a month. Space is limited. Reach out soon to connect and get on the schedule.
Consultations are free. There’s no obligation to hire. Think of an interview as a meet and greet. Let’s get together for iced coffee and talk about what birth support can look like for you.
Consultations are free. There’s no obligation to hire. Think of an interview as a meet and greet. Let’s get together for iced coffee and talk about what birth support can look like for you.
Appointments and classes are scheduled:
- Monday - 5pm to 9pm
- Tuesday - 1pm to 4pm (church service at 7pm)
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - 4pm to 9pm
- Saturday - 3pm to 7pm
- Sundays are for church. You are welcome to join me at ALC Dayton. I do not work on Sunday unless it is a birth.
Education: comprehensive, applicable, and science based
Support: your birth your way
Empowerment: giving you the tools to lead your health care
