What is a doula?

A Doula is a companion and support person who works with both the birthing person and partner during labor, childbirth, and during the postpartum period. Given that you may see multiple healthcare providers for your prenatal care, Alyssa prides herself on continuity of care and will walk alongside you and provide one-on-one educational, physical, and emotional support to both the birthing person and their partner.

Not only is she able to assist the birthing person, but the birthing partner as well who may not have ever experienced a birth before or would like to be able to get a quick bite to eat, take a shower, or get some rest while you are laboring! We do not replace a partner by any means, but rather solid support to the whole birthing room. We feed off of each other’s nervous systems and energy and this is one of the reasons to carefully select your birth team. Alyssa’s role and agenda solely relies on the birthing person’s agenda, which will be discussed during your prenatal appointments. 

As your birth doula, Alyssa will provide:

  • Coaching Tips for Expecting Parents

  • Accompaniment to Prenatal Appointments if desired

  • Pregnancy and/or Birth Photography

  • Medical Insurance Advocacy (Alyssa has an extensive background in medical billing)

  • Birth Story Debriefing

  • Assistance with providing literature to each client so that they can determine their birthing preferences

  • Referrals to knowledgeable, highly experienced, and compassionate medical providers and support - hospitals, clinics, private practices, and non-profit organizations

  • Fertility Support

  • Lactation Preparation

  • For repeat clients, the services will automatically be locked at the previous rate and exempt from any price/fee increase.

Statistics on Doula Support

Let’s take a look at the detailed statistics from various studies assembled together by Evidence Based Birth:

  • 31% Decrease in the Risk of Dissatisfaction with the Birthing Experience

  • 38% Decrease in Baby’s Risk of Low 5 Minute APGAR Scores (a method that quickly summarizes the newborn’s health according to Appearance/Skin Color, Pulse/Heart Rate, Grimace Response/Reflexes, Activity/Muscle Tone, and Respiration/Breathing Rate)

  • 39% Decrease in the Risk of Cesarean Birth

  • Shorter Labor Times by ~41 Minutes

  • 15% Increase in Spontaneous Vaginal Birth

  • Doulas are a form of pain management in themselves (Hofmeyr, 1991)

Emotional Support

One of Alyssa’s primary goals is to care for the emotional health of the birthing person and to enhance your ability to have a positive birth experience. When seeking a doula, selecting someone who is a good listener whom you can talk to about anything, as many times as you need to in confidence, is essential. When the mind is in a calm state, then the body can do what it needs to do and oxytocin hormone stays high!

  • Helping the birthing person and partner during times of self-doubt and/or fear

  • Time-out for self-care for the birthing person

  • Debriefing after the birth

  • Noncritical support and advice

  • Continuous presence

  • Praise and encouragement

  • Respect for your emotions

  • An open space for solitude and reflection

Physical Support

According to the The Journal of Perinatal Education, “women who use upright positions and are mobile during labor have shorter labors, receive less intervention, report less severe pain, and describe more satisfaction with their childbirth experience than women in recumbent positions.” Alyssa can help the laboring person to get into various laboring positions to encourage all of the above. Labor tends to progress when the birthing person is changing positions frequently so that baby can have assistance with optimal fetal positioning.

Furthermore, she has continued education with Spinning Babies and plans on completing a Parent Educator Training in the future so that she can teach her clients in a group setting. Why is physical support important? It simply allows the birthing person to maintain a sense of control, can aid in comfort, and can promote confidence! Besides positioning support, Alyssa can help provide comfort by utilizing rebozo techniques, massage, applying counter pressure, making the environment more calm, assisting with hydrotherapy, Marma Therapy (Ayurvedic Acupressure), and is able to provide clients with a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) Unit if desired.