Philosophy
The doula role is to provide non-medical, nonjudgmental, gentle, support for mother's and their families. We nurture, empower, advocate, and respect our clients through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Each client will have very specific individual needs. My goal is to assist and educate you to develop strategies, skills, and confidence to meet the needs of your growing family. Pregnancy, Birth and Recovery, are normal and natural processes. Every woman possesses the strength, courage, and instincts, to have a successful and rewarding birth experience. Each partner has the capability for loving, reassurance and support through birth and beyond. A doula does not usurp the father or partner’s role in the birth experience. By providing guidance and reassurance the partner can be completely emotionally available to the birthing mother. The positive effects of doula support have been documented through many studies: labors are shorter, with fewer complications, mothers are more satisfied with their experiences, & babies are healthier. Breast feeding is also effected with higher rates success and satisfaction.
Birth & Postpartum Doula Services-A minimum of 2 prenatal meetings
The first is an intake of your history, an assessment of your needs and wishes for your birth (birth plan), and discussion of concerns and questions. It essentially helps me understand my role based on your expectations.
The second is a labor trial. We will practice using the Doula tools including birth balls, massage techniques, aromatherapy, etc. We will discuss all your options, possible outcomes and finalize your birth plan.
We can meet additional times if needed or at your request
This is your birth. I respect and support your decisions for your ideal birth experience:)
-Unlimited phone and internet support.
-Education ( You can pick my brain)
-Continuous labor and delivery support that can begin in your home or when we meet at the hospital. This includes non-medical comfort measures during labor, positions and movements for labor and birth, strategies for coping during difficult labors: including back labor, self-care recovery measures, waterbirthing, assessing, and education of breast feeding technique immediately following birth.
I usually remain with you until breastfeeding is established and you are settled postpartum.
-Patient Advocacy
-Postpartum visit in your home. This visit is in the first week, if your schedule permits.
Included are breastfeeding or bottle feeding support and education, newborn and infant care information, personal care information, home organization, sibling adjustment information, assistance with adjusting to new roles, answering questions and addressing any concerns.
Also, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your birth.
Postpartum support that continues through the fourth trimester adds household organizational support: preparing occasional light meals, grocery shopping, light laundry, tidying and dish washing.
I hope you will give me the opportunity to meet with you as it is most important for you to find a doula that you completely trust and are comfortable. Supporting women and their families is my passion. I truly believe birth is an empowering, transforming, and life changing event. Every woman can have a positive birth experience with the right education and support.
Above all else, I am committed and compelled to provide you with the same level of tender loving care I give my own family. I am accessible via home & cell phone, facebook, twitter, and e-mail. I will do my best to answer all your questions with evidence based information. Although I lean toward the Midwifery model of care, the Medical Model is what most of you will be required to navigate. I firmly believe that a beautiful, and positive birth experience can be achieved in a hospital setting. I support your choices, which could include a non-medicated birth, use of an epidural, or scheduled cesarean. Your journey begins with open communication with your care provider, knowledge of hospital practices and procedure, constructing a workable Birth Plan, flexibility, and trust in yourself and your body. (of course hiring a Doula:)
I maintain the utmost level of mutual respect and professionalism while working with the hospital nurses, midwives, obstetricians, anesthesiologists, and all essential and non-essential hospital staff. My hope is that with each birth I will build a reputation as a welcome and respected component of maternity patient care.
It is an honor and privilege to be a part of the day you welcome a new life, healthy, happy, and full of promise.
Qualifications
My journey begins with the knowledge I have acquired as a mother of four children. With each pregnancy came new challenges, but also opportunities to learn new techniques and strategies for successful family management! I was trained and used Lamaze in all four hospital child births. Pregnancies, labor & delivery, as well as personalities, of each child were very different. I experienced labor as short as 5 hours and as long as 22. Two babies were posterior with accompanying back labor. Two started with spontaneous rupturing of membranes (one in the car!). The first was a pitocin induction. All four babies were successfully breast fed, but not necessarily easily breast fed! I was very lucky to have positive birth experiences mainly due to a fantastic husband and obstetrician who valued and respected the natural process of birth. I work hard to make that a reality for every family in my practice. As a stay at home mom for 22 years, I assisted friends and family with home organization in preparation for their new arrival, time management, infant care, breast feeding support, and personal care for recovery, as needed. I've worked in the legal field, office management, tax preparation, sales, retail management, entrepreneurship, and professional volunteerism.
I am a Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula CD(DONA) PCD(DONA) with DONA International. I began practicing as a Postpartum Doula in 2008 and attending births in June of 2010. The first birth I attended as a working Doula was a VBAC, Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section. This birth was immediately followed (within hours) by a family welcoming their eighth! I feel honored and blessed to have worked with so many wonderful families, midwives, and OB's in 2010, 2011 & 2012 .
Continuing education is very important as standards of practice are always being updated by professionals. I am working on Hypno Doula Certification with Hypnobabies & ICEA Certified Childbirth Educator. In 2011 I attended Water Birth Certification with Waterbirth International. In April 2012 I will launch Sweet Reason Childbirth Education. I have partnered with Fedorko Chiropractic Health Center to offer a whole body and mind approach to childbirth education. http://fedorkohealth.com/
I am an active member of DONA International, Doula Network of Northeast Ohio, Mothers Advocate, Natural Birth Project, Team Midwife, Birth Professionals of America, My Best Birth, International Cesarean Network, Lamaze International, La Leche League, International Childbirth Education Association, Doula.com, DoulaMatch.net, NaturalBabyPros.com, Twitter @neartoyoudoula & Facebook-Rachel Mueller or N.E.A.R To You Doula. Please feel free to join my group Coffee and BIRTH Talk with Rachel & Co.