$1800 BIRTH PACKAGE

INCLUDES:

FREE CONSULTATION

Your birth is a precious time and you deserve to choose your care team carefully. I offer a free initial consultation for you to interview me. You need to be comfortable with me and confidant that I am the right doula for you. 

JUDGMENT-FREE SUPPORT

I promise to support you in whatever birth you choose. I believe that you, as the mother, have the sole rights to decision-making in the birth room. I commit to checking my personal thoughts on birth at the door and being your biggest advocate in helping YOU to achieve your ideal birth. No matter if you are pursuing a cesarean, repeat cesarean, VBAC, induction, hospital epidural, hospital unmedicated, water, home, or wilderness (it happens) birth, you can trust that I will hold your ideals as my own. I am for you!

PRENATAL MEETINGS

We will meet in your home at least once before your 36th week of pregnancy so that I can learn as much as possible about you. I will help you put together a birth plan (if desired) as I strive to understand your goals and dreams for this birth. If possible, I would like to have your partner join us so that I can study your unique relationship. My role as your doula is best utilized when I know my place within the framework of your larger birth team, which includes the intricacies of your relationship with your partner. This is also a great time to go over pain coping, relaxation, and massage techniques.

UNLIMITED EMAIL, PHONE, AND TEXT SUPPORT

I am here for you. If you have questions, concerns, fears, or joys, I am just a call away. As your due month approaches, you may find yourself feeling more anxious or having more questions. You can reach out to me and confidently know that I am here to support you with both compassion and evidence-based research.

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

From the moment you hire me, you have access to a world of information! Want to know more about chiropractors, acupuncture,  hospital policies, drug alternatives, eating during labor, breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, going back to work, newborn photography, how much baby poop to look for on day 13? Would you like to have the latest, evidence-based knowledge about birth at your fingertips in an instant? I have studied for this exact purpose! I will also refer you to all sorts of Austin resources for information that falls outside of my knowledge.

ON-CALL SERVICES

Beginning at 37-weeks of your pregnancy, I am on-call for you. That means that I respond to your calls and texts 24-hours a day. If you are likely to go into labor before 37 weeks (high-risk, pregnant with multiples, or have a history of premature labor), we can make arrangements to adjust your on-call period. This 24-hour support continues through 6-weeks postpartum so that you have someone to reach out to at all hours if you need support.

CONTINUOUS LABOR SUPPORT AT HOME (IF DESIRED) AND AT BIRTH LOCATION

The moment a woman wants me by her side in labor varies. Whenever you reach that point, whether at home or on the way to the birth location, I will provide continuous emotional, physical, partner, and informational support. I will aid you in coping techniques such as position changes, visualization, relaxation, massage, effective pushing, and other techniques to guide you through labor and birth.

IMMEDIATE POSTPARTUM AND BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT

I will stay with you for the first 1-2 hours postpartum, until you are resting comfortably, to help you make the transition into motherhood. I offer initial breastfeeding support, showing you and your partner what the baby's hunger cues look like and how to respond to your baby appropriately. If your baby needs to visit the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), I will stay with you while your partner stays with your baby. 

POSTPARTUM HOME VISIT

During your first 6 weeks, I will visit you in your home to review your birth with you. Most women find it helpful to talk through what happened during birth to fill in the gaps in their memory. If you have any concerns or questions about newborn care, breastfeeding, or transition to motherhood, I will assist you or guide you toward resources that can help you. I also provide you with a polished version of my birth notes, which includes a timeline of events. My clients love to see all that they "missed" and to have a copy for a memory book.

CONTINUITY OF CARE

My services do not stop after the postpartum visit. I am still for you! I love to keep contact with you so that are not alone in this joyous and daunting task of parenting. If you find that you need postpartum doula care, meal preparation help, counseling, or any other support, I can connect you to the appropriate resources. 

ADD-ONS

TENS RENTAL/PURCHASE

Other countries utilize pregnancy-specific TENS (transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation) units with every laboring woman. Although American hospitals have not embraced the TENS' incredible benefits yet, I offer them to you as my client. The advantages of TENS in labor are many. While receiving stimulation on your back that counteracts the pain of contractions, you remain clear-headed, free to move around, and maintain control over the strength. You can also use the TENS unit alongside medical forms of pain relief. If you would like to utilize a TENS unit during your labor as a safe, non-pharmacological method of pain control, you must apply it in early labor (usually before I join you). You have the option of buying a unit directly from me before 36-weeks to keep for future births/friends/family or of renting one from me at the end of your pregnancy. The rental cost is $75; the device is to be returned to me during your postpartum visit. The purchase cost is $100; and please note that the units are not sold in the US and may not ship to you in time if you tried to purchase one from a European company.

TRAUMA PROCESSING

 Childbirth is a sexually vulnerable event and has the potential to be more difficult for women who have a history of abuse or trauma. I want to offer my help if you are one of these women. For an additional $50 per hour, you can schedule informal counseling (video call or in-home) to discuss and work through issues that may affect your birth, including a history of childhood sexual abuse, adult/current sexually violent relationship, previous traumatic birth, etc. We will work together to find what triggers you have developed and find solutions to deactivate trauma responses during birth. I am not a licensed therapist; so if we find that you need more work than I can offer, I will refer you to a local psychologist or therapist.