Labor Doula Services.
I offer labor doula services in Lake County, IL and the surrounding area (typically, a 25 mile radius from Libertyville, IL - contact for more information about my service area). I am available to doula at all local hospital and homebirths.
My services include at least two meetings during pregnancy, support via email or phone during pregnancy, support during active labor and delivery (I am able to come to your house to assist with labor there, and then will go with you if you are having a hospital birth), assistance for up to one hour postpartum to help with breastfeeding and bonding, and one postpartum visit.
My doula services are typically $750-1,200 for a hospital birth and $650-750 for a homebirth. Please contact me for a specific quote (include your due date, where you live, where you are delivering, who your provider is, and if you have had a previous vaginal delivery).
Feel free to contact me for an initial consultation where we can discuss your birth preferences and talk more specifically about how I can support you in labor!
Why have a doula?
From the CAPPA website (link):
What is a Labor Doula? A doula is a person who attends the birthing family before, during, and just after the birth of the baby. The certified doula is trained to deliver emotional support from home to hospital, ease the transition into the hospital environment, and be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating provider schedules. The doula serves as an advocate, labor coach, and information source to give the mother and her partner the added comfort of additional support throughout the entire labor. There are a variety of titles used by women offering these kinds of services such as "birth assistant," "labor support specialist" and "doula".
What Does a Doula Do? The following is a general description of what you might expect from a CAPPA certified labor doula. Typically, doulas meet with the parents in the second or third trimester of the pregnancy to get acquainted and to learn about prior birth experiences and the history of this pregnancy. She may help you develop a birth plan, teach relaxation, visualization, and breathing skills useful for labor. Most importantly, the doula will provide comfort, support, and information about birth options.
A doula can help the woman to determine prelabor from true labor and early labor from active labor. At a point determined by the woman in labor, the doula will come to her and assist her by:
What is a Labor Doula? A doula is a person who attends the birthing family before, during, and just after the birth of the baby. The certified doula is trained to deliver emotional support from home to hospital, ease the transition into the hospital environment, and be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating provider schedules. The doula serves as an advocate, labor coach, and information source to give the mother and her partner the added comfort of additional support throughout the entire labor. There are a variety of titles used by women offering these kinds of services such as "birth assistant," "labor support specialist" and "doula".
What Does a Doula Do? The following is a general description of what you might expect from a CAPPA certified labor doula. Typically, doulas meet with the parents in the second or third trimester of the pregnancy to get acquainted and to learn about prior birth experiences and the history of this pregnancy. She may help you develop a birth plan, teach relaxation, visualization, and breathing skills useful for labor. Most importantly, the doula will provide comfort, support, and information about birth options.
A doula can help the woman to determine prelabor from true labor and early labor from active labor. At a point determined by the woman in labor, the doula will come to her and assist her by:
- Helping her to rest and relax
- Providing support for the woman's partner
- Encouraging nutrition and fluids in early labor
- Assisting her in using a variety of helpful positions and comfort measures
- Constantly focus on the comfort of both the woman and her partner
- Helping the environment to be one in which the woman feels secure and confident
- Providing her with information on birth options
What are the benefits of having a doula?
According to Mothering the Mother, How a Doula Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier and Healthier Birth, by Kennell, Klaus, and Kennell (1993), having a doula can give you a:
- 50% reduction in cesarean rates
- 25% shorter labor
- 60% reduction in epidural requests
- Reduction in oxytocin (pitocin) use
- 30% reduction in analgesia use
- 40% reduction in forceps delivery
From the DONA website (www.dona.org):
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth
- tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
- reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
- reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
- reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals
- Feel more secure and cared for
- Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics
- Have greater success with breastfeeding
- Have greater self-confidence
- Have less postpartum depression
- Have lower incidence of abuse
Dads and Doulas
Moms often wonder, why do I need a doula when I have my husband? They also worry if their husband will feel displaced by the presence of another person at this intimate experience.
Dona has a wonderful article that explores the relationship between dads and doulas
http://www.dona.org/PDF/DadsandDoulas.pdf
Dona has a wonderful article that explores the relationship between dads and doulas
http://www.dona.org/PDF/DadsandDoulas.pdf