Your Story Is As Unique As Your Family
About Me
Find Strength From Support
I began attending births in 2016 and am honored to have supported over 250 families. I was drawn to doula work because I know there are just as many ways to be a good parent as there are to have a great birth. This belief inspires me to support families during such a special and momentous time.
Every family deserves a dedicated doula to guide and assist them in making educated choices about their pregnancy, body, and birth experience. Birth is wildly transformative, no matter your path. Childbirth is hard, and in the words of my mentor: "we just aren't designed to do hard things alone."
My partner and I live in the Virginia suburbs with our two dogs, a cat, and many houseplants. When I'm not attending births, I enjoy home projects, cooking, and entertaining for friends. Since Covid-19, I now enjoy Zoom Happy Hours with friends!
I have received the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.
My pronouns are she/her
How I'm Different
Honest
My experience has proven families need and want raw honesty. During all phases of birth, I draw on my years of experience, a wealth of training, and knowledge to assess labor. I then share those thoughts with clients. My honesty empowers people and creates a space where they feel supported and confident.
Collaborative
I understand you've chosen your provider carefully, for many reasons, and work cohesively with your healthcare team. I inform, advocate for, and thoroughly educate clients, so they're confident in the decisions they make for their own/their babies' health while also helping them to maintain trusting relationships with providers. This skill is powerful, rare, and positively impacts how clients and their families remember their birth experience.
Experienced
I am knowledgeable about birth- including but not limited to: position changes to help the baby descend more easily, comfort measures, hospital policies and processes, what to expect in labor, patient rights, breast/chestfeeding, what to expect postpartum.
Training
Spring 2016
Graceful Fusion Birth Doula Training with Nicole Heidbreider
Topics covered:
Anatomy and Physiology of pregnancy,
Common discomforts of pregnancy, specifically the 3rd trimester, and helpful advice for dealing with them,
Phases and stages of labor,
Emotional changes during labor,
Medications,
Common interventions
Tips for how to facilitate decisions in challenging childbirth situations
Cesarean birth
Neonate behavior and anatomy
Hormonal and Physiological changes of the new mother in the first 6 weeks postpartum
Fall 2018
When Survivors Give Birth with Penny Simkin PT
Definition of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and other child abuse
Common manifestations of any type of child abuse on the childbearing woman
Unique manifestations of sexual abuse specifically on the childbearing woman
Neurological and behavioral sequelae of child abuse
Impact of childhood sexual abuse on conscious memory
Impact of childhood sexual abuse on the adult woman
Impact of CSA on pregnancy
Impact of CSA on labor and birth
Relationship between the woman and her caregiver
Modification of common childbirth preparation techniques for CSA survivors
Impact of CSA on postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and postpartum mood disorders
Winter 2018
Peace Of Mind: Working With Anxious Clients with Sheryl Arron
Develop and anxiety-informed birth plan
Get your clients out of panic mode
Ground your clients — and yourself — in high-stress moments
Know which interventions to use when based on the neuroscience of anxiety
The latest research on anxiety during pregnancy
Implications of anxiety for pregnancy and birth outcomes
How to spot different kinds of anxiety in your clients
Spring 2015
Blue Banyan 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Asana - go deep into the practice of over 50 foundational yoga postures/poses - with a focus on alignment, energetics, and sequencing (participants of the TT program will also study teaching methodology and hands on adjustments)
Pranayama - learn to practice and teach energizing breath techniques
Philosophy - explore Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita
Anatomy - consider the skeletal, muscular, nervous and endocrine systems as related to and affected by the practices of Yoga
Anatomy ('from an Eastern Perspective') - discover the energy systems of the body including Chakras, Nadis, Koshas and more
Meditation - dive into the practice of Mindfulness Meditation
Ayurvedic Component - Experience the integrative 'health care' system of Your Life Blueprint
Sanskrit and Chanting - explore the practice of Nada (sound) Yoga
Practicum and Pedagogy - TT participants will have plenty of practice-teaching opportunities throughout the program and will engage in an in-depth study of the art and science of teaching Yoga
Fall 2017
High Risk Labor Support with Lisa-Marie Cook
Compare the differences between spinal, combined spinal-epidural and epidural anesthesia
Explain the emergent concerns of general anesthesia
Explain in layman’s terms the physiology of preeclampsia
Have an understanding of commonly used medications in the treatment of preeclampsia
Identify those at risk for obstetrical hemorrhage
Assess blood loss: 50 cc, 100ccs, 500 ccs (to communicate with medical support if needed)
Have an understanding of the commonly used uterotonic medications
Define obstetrical hemorrhage for a vaginal delivery and cesarean section
Explain medical procedures used following an obstetrical hemorrhage
Explain the normal course of care for patients with pre-eclampsia and hemorrhage
Identify ways to support laboring people diagnosed with preeclampsia
Winter 2018
Spinning Babies with Lorenza Holt
A new premise for childbirth ease and labor progress for the experienced provider
Exploration of the role of “Soft Tissues” in pregnancy, labor, and fetal position (muscles, ligaments, connective tissue)
Common effects of posterior position on pregnancy and labor
Fetal Positioning and labor progress with the 3 Principles of Balance, Gravity, and Movement
Resolving the stalled labor through the Three Levels Of The Pelvis; pelvic mobility and soft tissues release.
Practice activities for pregnancy comfort, spontaneous birth as nature intended, and cesarean avoidance.
Identifying a stall in labor via labor pattern and being able to match the technique is a part of the workshop.
Winter 2018
Lamaze Childbirth Educator
Labor, birth, and postpartum
Positioning for labor and birth
pain management techniques
Labor support
Communication and decision making skills
Comfort measures, including breathing strategies, relaxation, and massage techniques
Risks and benefits of medical procedures
Breastfeeding
Healthy lifestyles