Holistic Doula Services
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"We feel so blessed to have met you. Our birth experience sure was different from what we planned, but with your help and presence it was still a beautiful event. Your presence at birth was extremely helpful. You provided a big sense of calmness during a stressful time and your mindful touch was so relieving. Thank you for always taking time for us, for all the hard work & your dedication. We strongly appreciated the thoughts, advice and guidance you shared with us. Thank you for your support."
-Megi Guculovic, Sept. 2019 |
What Does a Doula Do?
As a doula, my primary role is to provide ongoing support and care to a birthing person and their partner throughout the stages of labour, birth, and immediately after. I offer support during your pregnancy by being available for advice, and to help connect you to the information you need to make important decisions. In our meetings together, I will gain understanding of your unique needs and desires to help prepare you for a safe and fulfilling birth experience.
Some of the ways my support could look include:
There are many ways that having a doula can make a difference. Most importantly, I provide a safe, comforting presence as you navigate the intense nature of birth.
Some of the ways my support could look include:
- Giving your partner a chance to rest
- Ensuring you and your partner stay hydrated and fed
- Offering perspective and reassurance
- Advocating for your needs and preferences
- Holding your hand quietly
- Suggesting position changes
- Helping with comfort measures and pain coping techniques
- Helping with birth pool set up and take down
- Cleaning up after the birth
There are many ways that having a doula can make a difference. Most importantly, I provide a safe, comforting presence as you navigate the intense nature of birth.
My Tool Kit
As a holistic doula, I am versed in a range of modalities that may be used to help labour progress and to support shifts from one stage to the next. Studies show that having a doula present at birth enhances oxytocin release, and that birthing individuals report feeling less pain, and are less likely to request pain medication. Depending on your preferences, some of the tools and comfort measures we can incorporate are:
- Use of rebozo
- Massage and counterpressure
- Aromatherapy
- Heat and Cold packs/compresses
- Acupressure
“Touch is the primal language of life; the language that speaks to the deep mind of a laboring woman and the awakening senses of an infant. Massage and healing touch enhance the body’s natural ability to sustain health and give birth.”
~ Kara Maria Ananda.
~ Kara Maria Ananda.
Services
HeartRoot Package : $850
With this doula package y0u will receive:
With this doula package y0u will receive:
- Unlimited text/email support from the day you hire me
- On call for your birth at 37 weeks
- Access to my lending library of books
- Ample resources as needed, such as pdfs, websites, books, podcasts etc.
- 2-3 Prenatal meetings. (If you've given birth before, you may decide you only need 2 meetings with me.)
- Doula support throughout your labour and birthing time, up until 1-2 hours after your baby is born
- 1- 2 Postpartum visits, (as needed) including a nourishing postpartum meal
- Optional: At no extra charge, I offer a ceremonial closing after the birth to mark your sacred transition.
Massage
In many cultures, compassionate touch and massage is an integral part of traditional midwifery care. This is greatly missing in our current medical model, and I am passionate about filling that gap. Any doula clients receive a 15% discount on bodywork treatments during their pregnancy. Not only is massage during the prenatal period shown to reduce stress, promote connection to your body and baby, lower blood pressure, and ease anxiety, it serves as a wonderful way for us to form a deeper connection that is brought into the birth space.
For details on specialized postpartum treatments, please have a look at my Mother Warming page.
For details on specialized postpartum treatments, please have a look at my Mother Warming page.
My philosophy
I believe the most optimal outcomes for baby and mother occur when birth unfolds undisturbed. And I believe it is possible to have an undisturbed, empowered experience while receiving external support that feels nurturing and intuitively right to birthing parents, whether that includes a doula and midwife, another group of care providers, or none at all.
I view birth as a sacred event: of a nature that is entirely unpredictable, uncontrollable, and awe-inspiring. I feel passionate about being a birthworker for this reason. It is my desire that all people giving birth access their deepest power, and feel supported and witnessed in it as they move through this most transformational experience of their lives.
I view birth as a sacred event: of a nature that is entirely unpredictable, uncontrollable, and awe-inspiring. I feel passionate about being a birthworker for this reason. It is my desire that all people giving birth access their deepest power, and feel supported and witnessed in it as they move through this most transformational experience of their lives.
