Labor Doula Services | Childbirth Education Classes | Fees | Operation Life Support | Homebirth
services and ministries
Birth By Design offers the following services for homebirth, labour support, childbirth education, postpartum support, and parenting classes:
What can I expect?
A homebirth midwife takes her time with each low-risk woman, and you can expect your appointments to last about an hour each time. In our prenatal visits, you can expect to have the services typical in a clinical setting, but with a much homier touch. As your homebirth birth attendant, I am interested in the whole woman, not just the clinical picture. I want to know how you are doing? How are you feeling? Do you have any stressors in your life right now? What are your joys? What are your fears? I want to get to know you, your partner, and your baby as best as possible before the birth.
What are my responsibilities?
If you are wanting a homebirth, you must be prepared that having a homebirth takes more preparation than a hospital birth. Excellent nutrition, a willingness to be an active participant in the birth process, and being responsible for your own choices, are all imperative parts of being a homebithing family.
You must also be willing to transport to the nearest medical facility in the event of an emergency. The homebirthing family needs to secure their own pediatrician or family physician for the care of their infant following their birth.
If you want an obstetrical backup, that will also be your responsibility to secure one in your area. Because we serve such a large geographical area (Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Monroe, Luzerne, Lackawana, Columbia, Pike, Wayne, Upper Bucks, Upper Montgomery, parts of Wyoming, Berks, and Schuylkill counties) it would be impossible to secure a backup obstetrician for each client in their hometown due to the geographical challenge. Be aware that many Obstetricians and some CNM's are not in favor of women having a homebirth or feel legally liable for your care, so if you are wanting to secure a backup obstetrician for your birth, in can be a challenge and very difficult.
How much can I expect to pay?
Fees for homebirth services do not include the cost of a birthkit, labwork, ultrasounds, and waterbirth tub rental. Please call or e-mail for a quote on homebirth services, or click here. Please call to double check though, as prices are subject to change.
What services do you offer?
- I offer complete well woman, prenatal, birth, waterbirth, and postpartum care.
- I offer all of the standard prenatal testing and ultrasound services, though many women choose to opt out of some or all testing.
- I am available to you by phone 24/7 from the time that you secure my services. No question is inconsequential or silly.
- I am on call for your birth from week 37 until delivery of your baby.
- I have a waterbirth tubs and accessories available to rent for your home waterbirth.
- If possible, I will secure an additional qualified birth attendant to attend your birth with me.
- Integrative care in a holistic setting is the hallmark of My Birth By Design's homebirth midwifery service.
Doula Services:
-The initial interview/consultation is free.
- Each of my clients will receive at least two prenatal visits and educational materials relating to their pregnancy and what to expect at your delivery. I would love to accompany you to one visit with your healthcare provider. At the very least...it is important that your provider is aware that you will be using my services prior to your delivery.
- I can help you draw up a birth plan that suits your needs and desires best.
- I can help you find a massage therapist, midwife, chiropractor, or breastfeeding support group near you.
- I have a backup Doula, and if she is not available, I will make arrangements with another area doula for your birth. I will let you know the names and contact information for my back-up doulas.
- I can provide you with montrice services in your home but not at the hospital, birth center, or when your midwife arrives for your birth at home unless your provider approves. (Montrice services are outside the scope and practice of a labour doula and include taking vitals, assessing fetal heart tones, and dilation. These can be helpful if you are wishing to stay at home for the better part of your labor but want to be sure to make it to the hospital or birth center on time for delivery or if your midwife lives a distance away and you want someone to assess you until she arrives. Montrice services are not for medical treatment, but only to assess your progress in labour.)
- I will help you to fulfill your birth plan to the best of my ability. I am there for you, to be an advocate for YOU! I am not, however, there to be a detriment to your provider when there is a true medical emergency.
- I will provide emotional and physical support during labor.
- I will provide comfort measures and coping strategies for dealing well with labour. (This includes massage, breathing, visualizations, the birth ball, shower/water therapy, hot/cold therapies, change of position, acupressure, walking, and discussions of whether or not you want pain medications and at what point. We will discuss your preferences before the birth.)
- I am NOT there to replace your husband or partner if he/she will also be assisting you at your delivery. I am there to work with you and for you and to be an integral part of your birth team.
- I do NOT make decisions for you.
- I do NOT speak to medical staff regarding matters where health care decisions are being made. I can discuss your concerns with you and suggest options. I can support you in discussions with staff as your advocate, making sure you have the opportunity to discuss concerns, but you or your partner will speak on your behalf to the medical staff.
- I will stay with you throughout your entire delivery and for at least the first 
one to two hours postpartum, unless you request otherwise ahead of time.
- I will be happy to take pictures of and/or video for you of your birth.
- I am available for a postpartum visit if you wish and will help you establish breastfeeding. (If more extended postpartum services are needed, please discuss this with me and we can make arrangements for my continuing support as a postpartum doula for additional fees.)
- I am available to answer questions at any time. Don't hesitate to call or e-mail me with ANY concerns. I am available, as your doula 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I do not charge for phone consultations.
My Doula services are available on a limited basis due to my homebirth practice taking up much of my time. $650.00 per birth for Doula services is my normal fee. A deposit of $250.00 is required and is non-refundable for professional labor support services. This is due at the time that you sign our doula/client contract. The balance is due by your 37th week of pregnancy. Payment schedules can be worked out, if you talk to me about it in advance. If you have a financial concern, please let me know...we should be able to work something out. Every mom deserves a doula and every baby deserves the best birth possible! If I am not available, then I will see if one of my backup doulas is available to you.
Childbirth Education Classes: We now have an amazing Childbirth Educator, Jennifer Riedy, offering classes at My Birth By Design. For more information about Jen, click here: www.knittedinthewomb.com
The classes offer amazing information on how to hire a midwife, obstetrician, and/or doula, how to make a birth plan that suits your needs, information on common interventions in childbirth and how to avoid them, find out who is in charge of your birth, how to manage labor pain and even possibly eliminate it altogether, how to use imagery as an anesthesia, learn how to combat stress and sleep better, learn about the anatomy of birth and how women are uniquely put together for birthing babies, address and relieve your fears about birth, develop self confidence, learn about the mind/body connection, learn coping techniques and deep abdominal breathing patterns for labor and birth!
This is so much more than your typical hospital Lamaze class! As an independant childbirth educators, we work for you and not the hospital or doctors , so we can answer questions and give information that you most likely will not hear in a hospital childbirth class. The content of my classes is not highly controlled like hospital classes and is unashamedly biased towards having the mother be in control of her birthing experience and having all the information on the pros and cons of every type of birthing experience.
There is also a refresher or shortened class available if necessary.
We also offer Childbirth classes uniquely catered to Christians, if that is what you desire. We can teach in your home or if your church is interested in having me teach a course using their facility, please feel free to contact me. I am also available to talk to women's groups about the Bible and Birth Control, Supernatural Birthing, Motherhood, and how Christ is central in all of these facets if we are Christians.
Jennifer also offers her services free of charge to women facing an unplanned pregnancy who have chosen life. The name of this ministry is Life Support and is offered because of Jennifer's strong beliefs in the sanctity of Life and the need for every woman facing an unplanned pregnancy to be supported in her journey to motherhood. Jennifer's first pregnancy was an unplanned one at the age of 18 and so she can empathize with anyone in that position. If are interested in becoming a Life Support doula or supporter, please contact Jennifer.
Disclaimer:The materials provided at this site are for informational purposes and are not intended for use as diagnosis or treatment of a health problem or as a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional.
