Birth Doula
What does a doula DO anyway?
Getting ready to give birth can be confusing! There are so many decisions to make, and so many people with so many opinions about all of it! You know what helps? Having someone who is there for you! Someone with the resources to help you get evidence-based info you need to make informed decisions about one of the most important events in your life! Someone to remind you that you don't always have to take all of this so seriously! Someone to help you to celebrate, and enjoy yourself! And when the going gets tough, someone with the tools and techniques to help you keep going. Someone you trust to look you in the eye, and remind you, "Yes, this is normal. Yes! You can do this!"
I don't answer to your care providers, your insurance company, or your parents: I answer to YOU! In our prenatal meetings, we'll talk about all the decisions you can make to ensure your birth is what you want it to be. We'll discuss and devise a plan for supporting you emotionally and physically during your birth. Whether you want intense physical support to avoid medical pain relief and other interventions, help planning how to make your epidural as effective as possible, or advice on preparing for your scheduled cesarean, your preferences will be trusted and honored every step of the way.
With perspective, and support, birth can be fun! And it should be! You deserve it. You're going to rock this thing. ;-)
What about my support team, friends, and family? Do I need a doula if I have them?
How will you serve my whole team?
Your support team (partner, family, friends, whoever!) will always have someone to turn to if they're unsure of what's going on or how to help you, or are feeling anxious about the process. If you have pets in your family, and have questions or concerns about managing the transition of adding a new baby, know a little forethought and planning can go a long way toward an optimal outcome, and it's a passion of mine to help you make this transition as easy, and fun for your pets as possible, too. I recommend making this discussion a part of our prenatal and postpartum visits.
For information about my training, and testimonials from my past clients, check out my About +Testimonials page!
My fee for this birth doula support package is $1800
Getting ready to give birth can be confusing! There are so many decisions to make, and so many people with so many opinions about all of it! You know what helps? Having someone who is there for you! Someone with the resources to help you get evidence-based info you need to make informed decisions about one of the most important events in your life! Someone to remind you that you don't always have to take all of this so seriously! Someone to help you to celebrate, and enjoy yourself! And when the going gets tough, someone with the tools and techniques to help you keep going. Someone you trust to look you in the eye, and remind you, "Yes, this is normal. Yes! You can do this!"
I don't answer to your care providers, your insurance company, or your parents: I answer to YOU! In our prenatal meetings, we'll talk about all the decisions you can make to ensure your birth is what you want it to be. We'll discuss and devise a plan for supporting you emotionally and physically during your birth. Whether you want intense physical support to avoid medical pain relief and other interventions, help planning how to make your epidural as effective as possible, or advice on preparing for your scheduled cesarean, your preferences will be trusted and honored every step of the way.
With perspective, and support, birth can be fun! And it should be! You deserve it. You're going to rock this thing. ;-)
What about my support team, friends, and family? Do I need a doula if I have them?
How will you serve my whole team?
Your support team (partner, family, friends, whoever!) will always have someone to turn to if they're unsure of what's going on or how to help you, or are feeling anxious about the process. If you have pets in your family, and have questions or concerns about managing the transition of adding a new baby, know a little forethought and planning can go a long way toward an optimal outcome, and it's a passion of mine to help you make this transition as easy, and fun for your pets as possible, too. I recommend making this discussion a part of our prenatal and postpartum visits.
For information about my training, and testimonials from my past clients, check out my About +Testimonials page!
My fee for this birth doula support package is $1800
Birth Consulting/Satellite Doula
My passion is to help birthing people have the support and perspective they need to have fun at their birth, but that service is needed far and wide, not just in NYC! That's where birth consulting and satellite doula work comes in: book a session to discuss all your birth options, including doulas. Everything from the different kinds of care providers you can choose from (OBGYNs are just the start!), to what pain relief options are available to you (everything from epidurals to acupressure!), to your first decisions as new parents (Delayed cord clamping? Circumcision? Who's in charge of that first latch?) Armed with information, you can be confident in choosing the birth experience that's right for you. Whether you just have a few questions, are looking for resources and recommendations in your area, or want to be guided through the process of crafting a birth plan start to finish, you'll leave these sessions feeling empowered, and excited! If you feel I'm the right fit for you, and you understand the limitations of a satellite doula (I haven't figured out how to offer comforting touch over wifi yet!), I can be on call, and skype in when you're in labor, providing the same real time continuous care as I do locally.
Prenatal and Postpartum Aerial Yoga
Yoga has so many benefits for pregnant people: increased comfort in late pregnancy and labor, a way to stay active that takes your current needs into account, a calmer state of mind, a stronger connection to your changing body, and your baby...but particularly if you don't already have a yoga practice, the unfamiliar shapes and movements can feel awkward, and throw you off kilter. Postpartum, you find yourself getting to know your body, and your life all over again, recovering from birth, and caring for a brand new baby! The aerial hammock provides a system of support, balance, and safety within proven shapes and techniques to address common discomforts, and did I mention it's a lot more fun than floor yoga? If you're coming from a regular practice, the hammock enables you to safely continue working with advanced balances and inversions much longer into your pregnancy.
Cooking and Meal Prep Lessons/Collaborative Sessions
I taught myself to cook through osmosis, and trial and error over the last fourteen years: the only channel we got my freshman year of college was the Food Network! Since then, I've dug deeply into food justice issues, and crafted my cooking style around obvious things like ease, nutrition, and budget constraints, as well as the deeper issues of sustainability, and ethics. I eat seasonally, I eat locally, and I'm an omnivore. We're so fortunate in NYC to have access to so much local and regional food via Greenmarkets located all over the city, all days of the week! We can schedule a field trip to learn how to shop there, but I'm also happy to cook with ingredients you provide from your favorite purveyors. This service is so helpful late in your pregnancy as a way to lay in lots of nutritious food in your freezer for your postpartum period, and develop a new habit of healthy cooking, and eating. Just like all my services, the goal is to give you the tools you need to have fun feeding your family and living your life, so all cooking and meal-prep sessions are collaborative learning opportunities we undertake together. You can see my instagram, or click the 'eating omily' tag on my blog, to see some of my favorite recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques. I hope for this service to form the cornerstone of my eventual postpartum doula practice.
Meditation
Meditation works! We've got the science to prove it! When you can be present, and calm, you can have more fun! There may be no better time to delve into the benefits of a meditation practice than during pregnancy. At first, time flies by, and you find yourself worrying it'll be over before you know it, and then, time slows down: you feel restless, and anxious to meet your baby. Meditation provides you with the tools to experience the present moment, make space for joy, and find peace within discomfort or worry. The cultivating of mental space is a powerful tool for the intensity of labor, allowing you to think clearly about what is best for you and your baby, and appreciate this special life event, even in a high pressure situation. One-on-one meditation sessions will work with your personal challenges to help you access this practice with guidance and support, and afterward, you might want a customized pre-recorded guided meditation for you to use anytime.
Reiki
Reiki is healing life force energy. In other traditions, it is known as chi, qi, or prana. Reiki has been a game-changer for me in my life, but it wasn't something I believed in when I first heard about it. While I definitely have a hippie-nature-girl side to my personality, I'm a fan of good old fashioned science and western medicine, too, and I definitely had my doubts about channeling energy, but I came to believe in it through my personal experiences receiving, and later giving it. If you're curious, see for yourself how it affects you! You don't have to be a spiritua kind of person to receive and benefit from reiki, and yes, getting reiki'd is fun! Being attuned to reiki at level II, I can channel this energy into your body to promote healing and health, and bring you into a state of deep relaxation, both in person, or from a distance. Chanting, crystals, the chakra system, and visualizations provide a stronger focus on your goals, directing this energy in a powerful way. Reiki isn't just great for adults, though. Your new baby can benefit from reiki to assist in adjusting to life outside the womb. Reiki can be incredibly helpful for the pet who's struggling with adjusting to life with Baby. Reiki can even be used to balance the energies in a space, a new apartment, or Baby's nursery, to assure everything is flowing ideally for your family.
Tarot
Do you wish you could take bird's eye view of your life? The tarot allows you to do just that! Think of it like a Rorschach inkblot test using archetypes that have existed subconsciously in the human mind for millennia, such as the mother, the devil, the fool, and the sun. We'll consider together what challenges you're facing, and how best you step up to them. The tarot isn't for everyone: it may clash with your home base belief system, or be a bridge too far for your grounded reality-based approach to life. It's just one tool among many to see your life from a different perspective, and use that information for your continued development. You'll have fun during our tarot sessions, and you'll leave feeling empowered to take concrete steps toward your best, and most fun, life.
Services other than the birth doula package are purchased hourly at $75/hour.
Surcharges for travel time, and space rentals are in addition to this rate when applicable.
For details on your options regarding location, and pricing flexibility via reducing travel time and space rental surcharges, contact me! If you are dealing with financial hardship, ask about my sliding scale rates for birth doula services. If I can't accommodate you, I'll help you connect with a doula who can, in keeping with DONA International's mission of a doula for every person who wants one. Just reach out! Ask, and ye shall receive! :-)
Surcharges for travel time, and space rentals are in addition to this rate when applicable.
For details on your options regarding location, and pricing flexibility via reducing travel time and space rental surcharges, contact me! If you are dealing with financial hardship, ask about my sliding scale rates for birth doula services. If I can't accommodate you, I'll help you connect with a doula who can, in keeping with DONA International's mission of a doula for every person who wants one. Just reach out! Ask, and ye shall receive! :-)
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