Birth Doula Services
What is a birth doula?
The word, doula, is a Greek word that means, “woman’s servant” or “handmaiden.” For longer than we can imagine, women have birthed their babies surrounded by women who were mothers themselves or witnessed birth, and were experienced in pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. They were elders, aunts, cousins, mothers, sisters and the like. In today’s birthing environment, the doula is a women who possesses a large amount of knowledge about labor and birth and supports the laboring woman and her partner as they transition through the final stages of pregnancy and the birth process into parenthood.
EXPERIENCE A BETTER BIRTH
All Birth Doula Packages Include:
Birth Doula Fees
$1350 (half due to secure your estimated due date on my calendar, the other half due by 35 weeks to secure my on-call status for you)
I am excited to offer a $200 discount to repeat clients!
- one free initial consultation for a chance to meet in person, get answers to questions you might have, and to see if we are a good fit together
- one prenatal meeting to discuss your pregnancy, your plans for your birth, and any concerns you may have
- help creating a birth plan, if needed
- access to my lending library filled with pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and parenting books, videos and dvds
- community referrals and resources, if needed, to assist you in pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and newborn care
- ongoing telephone and e-mail support from date of hire to the postpartum visit (and beyond!)
- use of a birth ball before and during labor
- 24-hour on-call availability two weeks before your due date until delivery
- continuous labor support in your home, hospital, or birth center (or a combination)
- immediate postpartum support for 60-90 minutes following the birth, including assistance in breastfeeding
- photos during labor and delivery, if desired
- a postpartum visit to discuss the birth, welcome the baby, and help with any issues you may have
- an optional birth announcement posted on social media after client review and approval of text and photos
- a backup doula, if necessary
Additional Considerations
- I am pleased to offer a $200 discount to repeat clients in appreciation for your continued business.
- $100 travel fee added to the deposit for clients living outside the 20-mile radius of my home in Virginia Beach for areas like Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, etc. (You can use the intersection of Salem and Elbow Roads in Virginia Beach to determine whether your address lies outside this radius.)
- After submitting numerous claims with no payouts to my clients, I am no longer working with TriCare. I apologize for any confusion this may have caused those who see my name listed on their site. I do not have the time or resources to process paperwork with TriCare so please do not ask me to prepare a receipt for you to submit. If you would like Tricare to assist with your doula fees, there are other doulas listed on the TriCare website who are willing and able to work with you.
“Originally I passed on the birth story thinking it wasn’t something I really “needed.” I am so glad I opted for it though. I wanted to have something in writing with all the little details from such a special day. I’m not an emotional person but reading my birth story brought the tears! She had captured so much leading up to my birth and the day of; it’s something I will cherish forever!”
Please contact me as soon as you decide you might be interested in a having the support of a doula because I try to maintain no more than five clients a month, with occasional exceptions depending on circumstances. I realize choosing a doula is a personal decision and I do everything within my power to be available for my clients when they request me. With that being said, I do provide a backup doula in the event I cannot make it to a birth. I encourage my clients to contact her beforehand, if that is their comfort. A lot can be gleaned about a person through a phone call or video chat.
My Upcoming 2024 Travel Plans are the Following:
March 27 - 30
April 5 - 8
May 15 - 22
June 15 - high school graduation for my daughter
June 22 - 29
November 26 - 30
Any client births that occur during these time frames will have a backup doula in attendance. I am happy to provide her contact information upon request in the event you would like to reach out to her beforehand FOR a phone call or facetime/Zoom chat.
Also, please do not let finances determine whether or not you have a doula present at your birth. I believe every women deserves a doula if she wants one. Together, we can work something out. And if I am unable to serve you I can offer you referrals to other doulas.
What exactly does a doula do?
The do’s and dont’s of a doula….