The Story
After becoming pregnant with my first child (and only so far), I realized how much I DIDN’T know about pregnancy, labor, and motherhood. When I attempted to find answers on how to prepare my body and mind for labor and a healthy pregnancy, I found my care providers’ answers dismissive at best. I began looking for answers everywhere- books, podcasts, and even going so far as to ask any young mother I met what her experience was with the medical system and preparing for birth. Eventually, a clear theme revealed itself: most women were unsatisfied— even traumatized— by their birth and they all said the same thing “If I only knew.” Statements like “If my provider had only explained my options” “If my provider had only told me about alternative medications” “If someone had explained to me how inaccurate these tests can be” were common. These women would have done things differently… if they only knew.
Fast forward to my second and early third trimester. I had some scares that prompted me to call my provider for medical advise in the hopes of getting tests done to ease my mind. Alas, each time it was a random nurse who stated she didn’t think there was a concern. The second and final time this happened, I decided to switch my care to a natural birthing center where I was taken seriously, educated, listened to, and given my power back.
By this time I had read several books, taken a child education course, watched hours of Youtube videos by nurses, doulas, midwifes, listened to hours of podcasts by fertility experts, women’s health doctors, so on, and collected random mother’s testimonials on their own experiences. I kept begging the questions “If we spend nine months seeing a doctor throughout our pregnancy, why is not a single woman educated on these vital issues? Why are women so discouraged from trusting their own body during labor and instead encouraged to fear labor, therefore being pressured to allow the doctor or nurse to make decisions about their body for them?”
The injustice I’ve heard second hand and experienced for myself prompted me to become a birth doula. I’m not like just any doula, though. A normal doula may meet with you once or twice before labor to discuss a birth plan and understand your preferences for labor. But I meet with you several times before the big day for two reasons. 1) To foster a deeper connection and familiarity so that you’re hopefully more comfortable with me before you’re half naked and experiencing the most life changing event of your life. 2) To educate you on options for providers, medication alternatives, natural coping skills, and home remedies so that when your baby comes, you feel confident and know exactly what to do!
The Philosophy
I operate my practice based off of three core beliefs.
Natural and unmedicated birth is the optimal way to birth. I believe that birthing without medication allows you to tune into the natural cues of your body while grounding you fully in the present moment. Unmedicated vaginal birth has had many evidence-based benefits for babies and their mamas.
Every woman has the capacity to birth naturally. While extenuating circumstances may ultimately prevent you from having a vaginal or unmedicated birth, I firmly believe every woman has the strength and mental fortitude to achieve a natural birth without intervention. Many women doubt their inner strength
and cannot even picture themselves achieving a natural labor. I attribute this partially to society and the medical system’s adamant claim that women can’t labor on their own and they need a doctor to coach them on pushing or breathing through contractions rather than listening to the laboring woman’s body and instincts.
3. Every woman deserves control over her experience. Whether a woman births at home, in a hospital, with an epidural, without an epidural, with doctors, or with a midwife, she deserves to have her voice heard and her decisions respected. No woman deserves to have her birth experience ruined by a care provider who doesn’t listen.
Contact Me
If you have some quick questions you’d like answered instead of a full consultation, feel free to fill out the information below or text me! Otherwise, the best way to see if we’re a good fit for each other is to book a free 30 minute consultation via zoom!