DEEP SOUTH DOULA 

I am a DONA trained Birth Doula living in North Louisiana (Ruston).  I am passionate about pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, babywearing & attachment parenting. 

I have a degree in Community Health and a Masters in Public Health (MPH)  from the University of Northern Colorado with a focus in Reproductive Health.  

My goal is to improve the state of maternity care in my little corner of the world and to help pregnant women & their families have a positive birth experience. 

I have a feeling it’s going to be a

 ”Long, Strange Trip”

My First Doula Birth Baby

Take a look around!  Click on the links and images to learn more about a whole host of topics. Contact me to find out more about what you can do to have a better birth.

 My Philosophy

I believe that next to being born, giving birth is the most important event in a woman’s life.  Nothing compares to the day that you bring a new life into the world… NOTHING!  I strongly believe that the experience of giving birth should not be feared but embraced and enjoyed.  Through education, understanding, and support a woman should be able to give birth the way she & her family feels is best for them.  This should be the HAPPIEST day of their lives. 

I believe that a woman should be able to make informed decisions regarding how and when she wants to give birth.  Drug-free natural births to medical inductions with an epidural… ALL birthing women deserve to be educated, respected and supported.   There is no “one-size-fits-all” in  pregnancy, childbirth or parenting. 

There is no right or wrong way… only YOUR way.

My job is to help you find your way… to educate you on your birth choices & rights as well as help you plan for the most life changing event you and your family will ever experience.  I cannot promise a perfect birth.  Sometimes things do not go as planned.  However, through education and support I can help you come away with a positive birth experience that you and your family will remember forever.

 

 What is a Doula and why would I want one?

The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves” and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

 

A Birth Doula

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth

• Stays with the woman throughout the labor

• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions

• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience

• Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.

 

A Postpartum Doula

• Offers education, companionship and non-judgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester

• Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tidying

• Offers evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary

 

Why use a doula?

DONA International doulas mother the mother

Women have complex needs during childbirth and the weeks that follow. In addition to medical care and the love and companionship provided by their partners, women need consistent, continuous reassurance, comfort, encouragement and respect. They need individualized care based on their circumstances and preferences.

DONA International doulas are educated and experienced in childbirth and the postpartum period. We are prepared to provide physical (non-medical), emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth, as well as to families in the weeks following childbirth. We offer a loving touch, positioning and comfort measures that make childbearing women and families feel nurtured and cared for.

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:

• Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications

• Reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience

• Reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans

• Reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows parents who receive support can:

• Feel more secure and cared for

• Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics

• Have greater success with breastfeeding

• Have greater self-confidence

• Have less postpartum depression

• Have lower incidence of abuse

 

More on why you may want a doula

What is ICAN?