Are there payment options available? Yes. Please contact me to discuss your options and needs. FSA and HSA cards may also be used in most cases.

What are the benefits of purchasing a package instead of single services? Packages always have priority scheduling over single service bookings and usually include more text support in between visits. They also are usually more affordable than booking multiple single services. Packages were carefully put together based on my years of serving our community and learning how families benefit the most from care. Having continuity of care that often starts prenatally and continues through postpartum benefits families the most over one off meetings.

What happens during a postpartum visit? We may talk about your feelings around your birth and other emotions you are feeling postpartum. We will go over your provider’s recovery instructions and make sure you don’t have any questions about what they have instructed. I will make sure the baby is feeding well and answer any questions you may have about caring for your newborn and yourself. I will make sure you have stations set up to make your time without any help as easy as possible. I can offer tips based on my knowledge and experience. I will also watch the baby while you eat, shower or sleep, whatever you feel you need at that time. If baby allows, I will also help out with some light household chores that the birthing person usually is responsible for.

What happens during a lactation visit? Before our meeting I review your intake form and take note of any concerns and plan out our meeting. during our meeting I offer counseling on latching techniques, identifying and solving any issues, planning for pumping and timing of feeds, discuss any growth concerns, measure for flange or nipple shield sizing, discuss breast pumping options and techniques. After our visit I will send you a summary of our meeting and my recommendations.

What happens during a birth prep session? We will go over ways to prepare for birth, focused on your personal desires. Ways your partner can support you doing labor, what to expect and what to do at each stage of labor, questions you may want to ask your medical provider and your options at your chosen place of birth. We will have a birth planning meeting where we’ll use my custom worksheet to walk you through your birth options. At the end you will be able to write up your own Birth Plan. These sessions really focus on everything I teach as a Doula outside of a regular Childbirth Education Class with my tips and tricks from years of practice.

Do you offer refunds? No refunds are given. In order to provide each family with high quality service, I only offer very limited spots on my calendar for all services. Deposits are placed to hold your space on my schedule. Any refunds, if given, will be at my discretion and on a case by case basis after discussing the circumstances or alternatives.

Can our other children be present for visits? Absolutely! I will help with older children at in person postpartum shifts. They can also be present for any meetings, but please use your best judgement if you think their presence will be too distracting during certain meetings. During Overnight shifts, please be aware that I will only assist with the infant I was hired to care for and do not offer sibling overnight care.

Will you provide transportation? No, I will not transport any family member. I will run errands alone for you during my shift, or accompany you on errands or appointments during my shift.

What happens if a family member or you are sick? I ask for full disclosure if any family member is sick or has been knowingly exposed to someone who is sick. If there is concern for health safety we will reschedule until everyone is healthy. If I am sick I will reschedule as soon as I am healthy. In some cases I may be able to provide a backup, but this is never guaranteed. Each instance of sickness will be decided on a case by case basis.

Do you offer care for multiples? Yes! Pricing will be adjusted in the care of multiples.

What if you get called to a birth during our scheduled visits or shifts? Birth happens whenever it needs to, and as a Birth Doula I am on call sometimes. If i know ahead of time that I will be going to a birth we will reschedule our shift or meeting. In the rare case that I need to leave during my shift, I will make up the missing hours as soon as I can. You can choose to only use the missed hours or you can add on additional hours to make a complete shift.

What if you are not available when I go into labor? I’m partnered with a doula collaborative where we serve each of our clients in a group style. We are a small group so we can keep your pregnancy and birth an intimate experience and you will get to meet each of our birth doulas. This set up allows us to provide our best selves to our clients and our families. We also are backup doulas for each other in the rare occasion that two clients are in labor at once.

What are the benefits of having a doula? The benefits, in my personal experiences with having a doula at my births, were feeling emotionally supported and confident, knowing what I wanted and when I needed help to cope with labor, physical pain relief, and reminding me what I needed to do to get through each contraction when my mind would begin to become unfocused and become fearful. Here are some statistics from a Cochrane review done of more than 15,000 people. Having a Doula: decreased cesarean risks by 39%, a 15% increase in spontaneous vaginal birth, 10% decrease in the use of any pain medications, shorter labors, 38% decrease in the risk of a low five minute infant APGAR score, 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience. New York State also recognizes the benefit of having a doula and has implemented a pilot program to help have some insurances cover doula services.

If I hire a doula, can I still have pain medications in labor? Yes! While I love helping birthing people have a successful drug free birth, I also understand that sometimes pain medicine is very needed to achieve a vaginal birth. I can help decide which medication is best and the best time to receive one, and will also help you cope with labor until your pain management can be administered. One side effect of pain medication is that it may slow labor, if this happens, I can help keep labor moving along.

Will my partner feel left out if I hire a doula? No. A plan and roles of the support people you choose will be discussed prior to labor and I will help your support people be involved in your labor and birth, in whatever capacity you decide. This can mean physical, emotional, or both. Labor can be tiring on the support people too, and a doula can help the support people rest or replenish themselves as needed without leaving the birthing person alone.

Will you support a VBAC? Yes! It’s important to find a VBAC supportive medical provider, in most cases VBAC is perfectly safe and I would love to support you.

Will you support a water birth? Yes, I have had one water birth myself and it was a great experience. Water in labor can be a great pain relief. Not all places of birth have this option available, but there are some local options if you decide to have a water birth. I will not get in the water, but I will still offer tub-side hands on support to you and your partner.

Will you attend an unassisted birth? No, a medical provider such as an OB or Midwife must plan to be present for me to agree to serve as your doula.

Can my other children be present for the birth? If your medical provider has agreed to this, I would love to support your family during your labor and birth.