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birth doulaI am happy to meet with you for a "coffee date" free of charge. Expect this meet and greet to last about 45 minutes to an hour, and give us a chance to see if we might be a good fit working together. As your birth doula, I will meet with you prenatally two to three times for 1.5 - 2.5 hour visits. During the first visit we will go over paperwork and fee schedules, as well as talk over general health information, expectations for my role in the birth, and go over any questions you might have. The second meeting will be focused more upon determining what preferences you have for your birth. (I hesitate to say "create a birth plan" because it is difficult for many to imagine being able to plan an event like birth). The third meeting, if necessary, will be a chance to review and get any other questions/concerns out on the table. I am available via email and phone 24 hours a day from the time that you hire me. I am on call for your birth beginning two-three weeks prior to your birth and remain on call until your baby arrives. In times when I am unavailable due to illness or travel, arrangements will be made for another qualified doula to attend your birth. During your labor, I will be available to meet you in your home or at your place of birth - whichever you prefer. I am able to provide the following services: massage, position suggestions, knowledge and reassurance about what is "normal", a gatekeeper of sorts - safeguarding your space as much as possible, relaxation suggestions, photography, support for partners, and I can be a gopher too. I will stay with you until one to two hours after your baby is born, to ensure everyone is stable and a breastfeeding relationship has been established. A visit post-partum will be arranged 2-3 days after your baby's birth. At this time, my rates for birth doula work begin at $500. If you feel you cannot afford to pay for a doula, please email me about a reduced fee or the possibility of barter. Small Miracles, a volunteer doula service, is also an option of cost is an issue. If you would like a copy of my contract to help you better make your decision, I am happy to email you one. post-partum doula
Post-partum doula work encompasses many various ways of supporting a family in this period. Non-judgmental emotional support is given, and connections within the community can be facilitated based on each family's needs. Breastfeeding, babywearing, baby-soothing, and cloth diaper assistance are included. Assistance with and/or caretaking of older children. Household tasks such as laundry, dishes, meal prep, and light pick-up can usually be done with a babe strapped on - meaning your home will get lovin' and your babe will be happy. Support includes processing a birth, and helping to integrate the experience into reality; this is particularly important after a birth that did not go as expected.
I used both baby carriers and cloth diapers with my daughter, though most of my "expertise" has come from working with hundreds of families and teaching workshops at Happy Bambino over the past four years. All birth/post-partum doula clients will receive babywearing and cloth diapering expertise as a part of their fees, others may consider attending workshops at Happy Bambino, or contacting me for private consultations. I am a photographer as well - I am more than happy to include basic birth photography as a part of the birth fee for my doula clients. Providing physical, emotional, and informational support will always come first during your labor and birth processes; however documentation is also something I am happy to do as each birth permits. If you are interested in having prenatal or newborn photography done, please take a look at my photography website - www.leawolfphoto.com. I do offer a discount to doula clients for photography sessions - please contact me for further information. |
