Labor Doula Services | Postpartum Doula Services | Childbirth Education Classes | Parenting Classes | Fees | Operation Life Support |
services and ministries
Birth By Design offers the following services for labour support, childbirth education, postpartum support, and parenting classes:
- 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, Milissa Simon 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 services are available on a sliding fee scale, depending on income levels if you are truly unable to pay my full fee. $650.00 per birth for professional labor support 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! I do accept credit cards through propay, but not paypal.
You can also pay me online via paypal:
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Postpartum doula services are $25.00 - $35.00 per hour. Because I am a homeschooling mother of five, my postpartum services are limited. I share postpartum doula services with my backup doula (s) and so between the two of us we can usually provide full time service. Please call to find out available days/times for my services. I can help you out for a few hours a day, to give you a break (Trust me, sleep can be a fleeting and precious thing with a new baby!) and I can help you with daily tasks around the house, run errands, or give you a hand establishing breastfeeding and learning baby care. I do not charge for phone consultations or for the postpartum visit for my Labour Doula clients.
Childbirth Education Classes: I offer childbirth education classes in Imagery Birthing ( http://www.imagerybirthing.com/ I am certified in this technique) and also I Care Prenatal Classes (" Improving Childbirth Awareness for a Richer Experience" Based on the book, Hey, Who's Having this Baby Anyway?). The combined 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 educator, I work for you and not the hospital or doctors , so I 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. The I Care classes are composed of 5 sessions and the imagery birthing classes are 4 sessions. I highly suggest that you take these classes at the latest in your second trimester of pregnancy, or if you can in your first trimester or even before you are even pregnant!
There is also a refresher or shortened class available if you wish, based on The Family Way of Prepared Childbirth. This can be broken up into four weeks or one 5-6 hour session. Again, these are currently offered in the privacy of your own home and cover all aspects of labor, birth, and postpartum. This class is $150.00 for the one day class, or $200.00 for the four week version.
I also offer Childbirth classes uniquely catered to Christians, if that is what you desire. I 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.
Another type of class I offer is The Happiest Baby on the Block classes. These classes teach you how to calm your crying baby and help your baby sleep better. This makes your baby happy and aleviates stress. Learn about the fourth trimester, the five S's, The Cuddle Cure, what is true colic and what isn't, and much more! I also include general newborn care information, if desired. Please click on the above link for my subdomain that lists complete information on this amazing class and shows video clips of the method in action!
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.
