What does a doula do?

Doulas wear many hats.
Your investment with me includes the following…

 

PRENATAL

  • Provide 1-2 prenatal visits, depending on mother’s comfort level, using my own educational curriculum and resources. These visits include:

    1. An email with a recommended video collective sent before the prenatal

    2. Teaching time on pregnancy exercise and care

    3. A 60 minute crash course childbirth education (see full childbirth course description below)

    4. Discussion of the legal choices involved with childbirth

    5. Assistance with the creation of a personal birth plan

    6. Demonstration of comfort measures that can be done by doula or partner

  • Give access to my full doula library and resources (incl. my loan of birth balls)

  • Be available with unlimited text, phone and/or email support

LABOR/DELIVERY

  • Offer position suggestions, Spinning Babies techniques, massage, acupressure, and counter pressure

  • Help with guided breathing techniques

  • Use hot or cold therapy

  • Encourage and affirm the mother’s efforts

  • Provide support with the use of a birth ball, peanut ball, my personal CUB Birth Stool, and my Obi or Elle Labor TENS machine

  • Create a calm environment that may involve soft lighting, music, or essential oils

  • Provide clarity on medical information and choice available; discuss the pros/cons of any intervention

  • Give breaks to the partner or other support persons

  • Keep track of any necessary data for the progress of labor

  • Take photographs if desired

POSTPARTUM

  • Attend to the mother and remain after the birth for 1-2 hours if needed

  • Offer breastfeeding support

  • Meet with the mother and partner in their home for a postpartum visit

  • Provide a homecooked meal

 
 
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How much does a doula cost?

All doulas run their own business and decide what they want to charge.
Your investment with me covers time, skill, knowledge, and transportation costs.

 

Full Doula Package

TOTAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT = $1,000

CONSULTATION - FREE
Meet and Greet virtually or in a neutral location like a coffee shop. We will discuss your goals and desires for your birth. I will provide an overview of my experience as a doula to see if we are a good fit! I will give you my contract and you can decide after our meeting if you want to move forward.

RETAINING FEE - $500
If you sign the contract and I am hired, there is a $500 nonrefundable deposit due at signing, or at the first prenatal visit, to hold your spot in my calendar. This fee covers up to two prenatal visits where we will talk birth, discuss your birth plan, and outline logistics. You will have full access to my doula library and resources. This fee also covers one postpartum visit to your home with a home cooked meal, and for all of my “on call” time, which is when we both agree that labor could occur.

BIRTH FEE - $500
This fee covers my time spent with you during the entirety of your birth. I provide full support when active labor begins and can meet you in your home or at the hospital. These services include, but are not limited to, help and advice with comfort measures, guided breathing, enhancement of relaxation and movement, massage, advocacy and emotional support. I will remain with you until after the birth, making sure you are comfortable and do not need any further assistance (breastfeeding support, nourishment, photography, etc.) The birth fee can be paid by or at the postpartum visit in your home.

If you are in need of additional support (i.e. baby care tips, breastfeeding), I am available via text or call for no additional charge.

In-Person Childbirth Course Package

TOTAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT = $250

LAMAZE INTERNATIONAL CHILDBIRTH COURSE
If you would rather me prepare you for childbirth instead of serve as your doula, I offer a standalone childbirth course, which includes up to 180 minutes of private teaching in your home using Lamaze International’s evidence based education along with my own personal curriculum and tools. My childbirth course covers 5 P’s toward preparation and can be spread out over one or two sessions depending on preference.

Before the course, you will receive an email with a video collective to watch and example birth plans that can be edited to fit your needs. During the course, you will receive a comprehensive one-on-one education including demonstration and video, fun interactive games and visuals, my bound curriculum, which includes 36 pages of some of my best work as well as an additional 24 page ebook from Lamaze International on the Six Healthy Birth Practices; both resources you get to keep! After completion of the course, I will be available by phone for additional questions, and if possible, can be reached by phone during the birth.

Here is what I bring into our time together!

 
 

Digital Childbirth Course Package

TOTAL FINANCIAL INVESTMENT = $75

If you are interested in ONLY my personal curriculum and do not need me to privately teach you in your home, I offer my course in digital format. My childbirth course covers 5 P’s of childbirth education:

Pathways to Choose
Process of Labor & Birth
Pain & Coping
Positioning
Postpartum & Breastfeeding

It also includes my own spontaneous labor roadmap and induction roadmap. The entire curriculum is 30+ pages and contains 95% of my own work, research, and visuals following years of being a doula. Upon purchase of this curriculum, you will receive a link in your email to download the course and save it to your own computer for forever access. The link will be available for 24 hours after purchase. If there are questions that come up, you are always welcome to contact me!

Here is a video with a quick flip through of the curriculum. The only pages you will not receive in digital format is Penny Simkin’s Road Map of Labor and the Lamaze International ebook on the Six Healthy Birth Practices. These pages are only available in hard copy for my in-person childbirth course.

 
 
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Where do doulas serve?

There are thousands of doulas all over the world.
Your investment with me would be in the Northwest Ohio area.

BELLEVUE HOSPITAL
BLANCHARD VALLEY HOSPITAL
FIRELANDS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
FISHER TITUS HOSPITAL
MERCY ST. VINCENTS HOSPITAL
MERCY TIFFIN HOSPITAL
PROMEDICA BAY PARK HOSPITAL
PROMEDICA FLOWER HOSPTIAL
PROMEDICA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
PROMEDICA TOLEDO HOSPITAL
WOOD COUNTY HOSPITAL
…or AT HOME.

 
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