The doula, demystified:
A birth doula supports women through educational, emotional, and physical support before, during, and immediately after childbirth. Through providing evidence-based information and loving nurturance, a doula can help a family navigate the best decisions for their maternal care and offer continuous physical support as labor progresses. In our modern medical institutions, healthcare providers are so often busy attending to other clinical aspects of their jobs; therefore, doulas can help offer the continuous love and support that is needed to help facilitate a happy and healthy birth. Doulas support and encourage the birth partner so they can be the best ally to the birthing parent that they can be!
A postpartum doula supports a new mother and their partner in the home through educational, emotional, and physical support, as well. The mental and physical demand that a new baby takes on a family cannot be understated: the birthing parent must recover from birth, the parents are now responsible for feeding and changing their child, they must become accustomed to their child’s specific cues and needs, and they have to keep up with their house work (and often times their professional work) on top of all of this. Through providing evidence-based information and loving nurturance, a postpartum doula can offer a great deal of support in caring for the parents, the baby, and the home to make this transition smoother.
With the rise of employee-sponsored fertility benefits such as Carrot or Maven, many families are able to receive the birth and postpartum doula support they deserve, without breaking their budget!
My Services
My base fee encompasses a 25 mile radius from Midland Park, NJ, and a travel fee will be applied to the hourly rate for postpartum families living within 25-35 miles of Midland Park, as well as for NYC births. I have experience working with clients who are using Carrot fertility benefits. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
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As your birth doula, I draw upon my knowledge of the birth process to inform and empower you. I nurture my clients with continuous emotional support, and I employ physical comfort measures to the laboring woman. As much as possible, I will educate the birth partner on how to employ comfort measures and encourage them to draw upon their intimacy with their laboring partner to create a loving, tender birth space. My passion and purpose is to safeguard this very vulnerable, sacred, and joyful moment in your life!
Your birth support package includes:
1-2 prenatal meetings with the following goals in mind: to explore and discuss your priorities and any fears or concerns you may have; to present evidence-based information on the risks and benefits of common interventions and procedures; to discuss and catalogue your birth preferences; and to review comfort measures, labor positions, birth affirmations, and cultural considerations.
24/7 on-call support starting at 38 weeks until the day you give birth.
Continuous labor support from the time your active labor begins until your baby is born, followed by 1-2 hours of immediate postpartum support until your family is ready for quiet time together.
One 1-2 hour postpartum follow up meeting (in-person if local, otherwise virtual), during which we will go over birth recovery, helpful self-care practices, newborn care, and breastfeeding support.
The birth support package: $1,500-$1,700.
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There is a reason that the age-old adage rings true today: “It takes a village.” Bringing home a new baby is a profound transition that can overwhelm even the most prepared or seasoned parents. The benefit of having an experienced, non-judgmental, and caring doula to support you is immeasurable, even if you are lucky enough to have family support nearby. During the hours between 8am-4pm, I accept clients for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 8 hours per day for as many as 5 days per week.
Your postpartum daytime support includes:
emotional support and companionship as you process your birth and transition into your new role as a parent
breastfeeding and bottle feeding support
newborn care, such as baby-wearing, bathing, feedings, diaper changes, and soothing to sleep
assisting with post-birth comfort measures and offering physical support following a cesarean
keeping baby items (wipes, diapers, onesies, etc.) organized
cleaning and sterilizing any bottles and pumping parts
light household cleaning, such as dishes, laundry, and tidying
light meal prep or preparation of healthy snacks
The daytime rate: $50-$55/hr.
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One of the most challenging aspects of parenthood is the lack of sleep, especially in those first several weeks when the baby is cluster feeding around the clock. Having a trusted support person “tag in” when you and your partner just need a bit of shut eye can make a world of difference in regards to both your physical and mental health.
My overnight hours are between 8pm to 6am-- I get to help your family wind down before bed, and you get to wake up refreshed for a new day! I offer overnights on an alternating night basis, for as many as three nights of peaceful sleep a week, for a minimum of 8 hours and a maximum of 10 hours a night.
Overnight services focus on caring for your baby while you rest; these services include:
breastfeeding and bottle feeding support
diaper changes and baby bathing
cleaning any bottles and pumping parts (can sterilize at night only if there is an electric steam sterilizer)
soothing your baby back to sleep
The nighttime rate: $55-$60/hr.
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Do you want the trusted advice of a doula but don’t necessarily need to engage one longterm? No problem! I offer a few additional support options catered to your specific needs.
Virtual Birth Preferences Workshop: This is a great option for parents who have taken a childbirth class or have read a birth book or two, but need help narrowing down their hopes and goals for their birth. We’ll do a quick review of the common procedures and interventions in childbirth, and then we’ll get to work mapping out the preferences you can give to your care providers. Includes one follow up revision. (2 hrs for $150)
Virtual Baby Registry Guide: Overwhelmed by all the gadgets and gizmos of the modern baby-rearing world? If you’re wondering what you actually need versus what would be nice to have, I can help you create a streamlined baby registry that will meet your baby’s immediate needs, with a few fun and convenient items thrown in! (1 hr for $75)
In-Home Nesting Package: Staring at a pile of unopened registry gifts, unsure of where to begin unpacking everything? Wondering how to set up your nursery and your home so that it functions seamlessly when baby arrives? As an organizational wiz, I can help you get everything set up so all you have to do is welcome baby home. For those within a 20 mile radius of Midland Park, NJ. (4 hrs for $300)