Lactation Counseling & Birth Doula Services

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Make sure the doula is available, is not over-booked, and that you feel very comfortable with her. You need to feel you can be open with your doula and trust her. If you have a list of 5 or more potential doulas, email, then phone them to rule out those who are not good matches. Then in-person interview only 2-3... it will save you time, make your decision easier, and is respectful of the doula's time too. If you chose not to work with a particular doula after interviewing with her, please let her know very soon and if there was a specific reason you went with another doula she will appreciate knowing it.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Doula's really care about the families they work with, they often go out of their way to help beyond what you might expect. Although the fee may seem high there are a lot of hours involved including travel, and you are paying for intangibles such altering one's life while being on-call, so the fee works out to a reasonable hourly rate if you have an average length birth. Being certified is good, but not totally necessary as a birth doula, look for training and experience, both personal and professional. Ask how often the doula needs to call a back-up or the frequency she attends her own clients' births... the rate should be higher than 85% attendance, 10% or less needing back up.

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. Ask about schedule conflicts, back up persons, cancellation notice requirements. Ask if she comes to your home in early labor. Ask how supportive she is of natural birth, what her c-section rate is, what her VBAC success rate is. Ask if she is trained in any other areas related to birth such as lactation, childbirth education, postpartum care, infant massage, etc. Ask what her fee includes. Meet her in person as you contract with her.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. - Think about what goals you have for birth. There is a good doula for you no matter your goals.
-Even if all your friends tell you to just get the epidural, and you think you are a wimp or not strong enough to birth without one, educate yourself about the risks involved, how they are done, how effective they are. They can fail and have a high rate of leading to c-sections... then your birthing dream can go out the window... doula's help prevent these things from happening.
- Can you afford a doula? The fees range in the Rochester, NY area from $400-$700. If you can't afford one, there are doulas who practice free in exchange for the experience.
- Will your partner be supportive of you having a doula? If you are not sure your husband can be a great support to you, even if he wants to be, don't let him talk you out of having a doula... he'll thank you for it later. If he totally refuses, try to have a friend, sister, or your mom come support you with the birth.
- Seriously consider taking the time to go to childbirth classes... you are responsible for understanding birth. Your doula will help you understand better, fill in gaps, and help you make a birth plan, but classes will answer a lot of questions and your doula time will be more productive.
- You don't want strangers at your birth? Your birth room will be full of strangers! It's part of birthing in a hospital. After you meet with your doula 2-3 times prenatally she will no longer be a stranger but a new and trusted friend. She is the only person whose shift will not change, who will come to your home in labor and after the birth, and who will be with you both through the whole experience... she provides much needed continuity.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I have a small private practice. I take no more than 1 client a month or keep a 3 week gap between due dates so I don't run into 2 births at once. I offer a lot of breastfeeding support over the first year as you want it. I am very experienced after 67 births and 9 years and I really care. I come to your home in labor, and help you labor at home as long as you like... not all doulas do that. I meet with first time moms and VBAC moms usually 3 times.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I really like about my job is seeing that beautiful look on a mother's face when she first sees her baby, and when she realizes she just gave birth, all by herself! I like seeing women empowered, men seeing how strong and beautiful their wives are, and helping babies have a healthy peaceful birth.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I got into being a doula after many years of being interested in birth but not interested in being a nurse or a doctor. I learned about doulas at a time when it didn't fit into my life, but later a friend, my husband, and mom encouraged me to take the training. I helped a friend with her birth and that was the beginning of my career. We have a good support network for doulas in the Rochester area and that has allowed me to keep doing the work when at times it is not ideal.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. In order to stay certified in birth doulaing and in lactation counseling I must continue my education with 15-18 hours of learning every 3 years. It's not a lot but is enough to keep me aware of new research, new techniques, new ways to help moms. Sometimes I take classes, read books, or teach others. Sometimes I attend the large conference for doulas that occurs every summer. I've been learning and studying about birth and breastfeeding for 20 years... since I became pregnant myself, with my first daughter.

Q. What are you currently working on improving?

A. I am currently creating a billing system that allows families to get reimbursed for my services. Flexible Medical Spending accounts through your employer will usually pay out and is a good way to plan for the expense of a doula. Regular medical insurance is not yet on board with reimbursement but many doulas are working on ways to help families get reimbursed. I am still perfecting my billing and learning to deal with the companies. Families will have to submit the bill multiple times but may actually get the refund in the end.