SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE BIRTH DOULA PACKAGE...

 

• 3 Prenatal Visits

These visits can be held in office or in your home, whichever is most comfortable for you! In addition to your initial consultation, we will meet with each other three times before your due date, and each visit will focus on different things.

 

VISIT #1 (1 to1.5 hours)- We will go through the intake questionnaire together so I can get a sense of what you are looking for, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions and get to know me as well. We will go over and sign the contract and discuss payment options and arrangements. You will be given your resource package.

 

VISIT #2 (1.5 to 2 hours)- Birth Planning. We will sit down together and discuss every detail of what you envision for your labour and birth. We will also discuss various scenarios and make a plan for every situation so that we can all be prepared. We will cover topics such as medical care, infant care, emotional support, preferences, non-negotiables, etc.

 

VISIT #3 (1 to 2 hours)- This will be our final meeting before your birth! We will discuss and practice different birthing positions and massage techniques, go through my doula bag so you can see and try out the things that are available for your use, discuss any concerns or fears you may be having, and go over the birth plan once more to make any necessary revisions.

 

• Resource Package

At the end of your first prenatal visit, you will be given a resource package that is filled with valuable information, recommendations on community services and supports, checklists, etc.

 

• Birth Planning Session

See Prenatal Visit #2

 

• Regular Check-Ins via Text

During your first Prenatal Visit, you will be given a check-in schedule which will outline which dates you can expect to hear from me throughout your pregnancy. 

I will check in:

~Monthly for the first half of your pregnancy (weeks 8, 12, 16, and 20)

~Bi-Weekly until the final 6 weeks (weeks 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34)

~Weekly until you are full-term (weeks 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)

~Every 2-3 days after you have passed your due date

I will send you a text to check-in and have a short conversation about any updates with your pregnancy, referrals or supports you may need, or feelings that you are having. 

 

• 24/7 Informational Support via Text

You do not need to wait for me to check in! During our contract, you can contact me any time with any questions or concerns. For non-urgent matters, I will respond as quickly as I can. For urgent matters, please call to ensure you receive an immediate response.

 

• Accompaniment to Up To 2 Pregnancy-Related Appointments and/or Birth Classes

Perhaps your partner can't get out of work on the day of your anatomy scan. Or maybe you feel like the two of you could use the extra support during childbirth classes. Whatever it is, if you have an event or an appointment that is directly related to your pregnancy, I can tag along and be there to support you! Up to two appointments are included in the package, but you can add-on more for an additional fee if you need to.

 

• On Call from 37 Weeks

Three weeks before your due date, I am considered "on-call". That means that my phone volume is all the way up and I am ready and waiting for the moment you tell me it's go-time!

 

• Continuous Labour and Delivery Support

We're in this together! I will be at your side from the moment you call me until your baby is in your arms! You can decide if you would like to call me when you are heading to the hospital and I will meet you there, or if you feel like you can use some extra support at home during the early labour stage, I will be happy to come to your home to support you there first. I will be there to help encourage you, support you, ensure that you are fully informed on what's happening, advocate for you and your birth preferences, provide your partner with support, and help you with pain management, however that looks for you! I typically head out after about 1.5 to 2 hours after delivery to give you and your partner space to bond with your baby. However, that time is completely flexible. I will be there until you are feeling confident in your ability to manage without extra support. And if we decide that it's okay for me to leave the hospital and circumstances change- you can always call me back! I will be there until you are ready.

 

• Use of Doula Tools and Supplies During Labour/Delivery

When I arrive to the birthing location, I will bring my bag of tools and supplies with me. During your labour and delivery, you can use any of these items as you wish to help you manage.

Items included:

~Birthing Ball

~TENS Machine

~Birthing Comb

-Instant Heat Packs X5

~LED Candles/Tea Lights

~Bluetooth Speaker and Soothing Music Playlists

~Massage Equipment (Oil, Massage Balls and Rollers {Textured or Smooth})

~Hair Ties

~Mini Handheld Fan

~Stress Balls (Soft, Medium, Firm)

~Aromatherapy- Essential Oils (SCENTS: Fresh Linen, Coconut Lime, Vanilla, Eucalyptus, "Soothing", Orange, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Lavender)

~Aromatherapy- Wax Melts (SCENTS: Apple Cinnamon, Lavender, "Healing")

 

• 2-3 Postpartum Visits

After the birth of your baby, we will have at least two more visits before our contract ends. Here's what you can expect at each of them:

 

VISIT #1 (1.5 to 2 hours)- Approximately 1 week postpartum (with flexibility based on your recovery and schedule). We will sit down and debrief your birthing experience. If there were any negative feelings or trauma related to your experience, we can unpack that together and look into finding you additional supports. We will also discuss how your recovery is going (emotionally and physically), and any updates on baby. I am also happy to help you with any sort of infant care (such as feeding, bathing, sleeping, etc.)

 

VISIT #2 (1 to 1.5 hours)- Approximately 3 weeks postpartum (with flexibility based on your recovery and schedule). This will be our final visit (unless we have arranged to continue for longer or if you have opted for a third visit to do the newborn keepsake). It will essentially be a follow-up conversation of our first postpartum visit. We will discuss any referrals you feel you may need moving forward. You will also be given a feedback form that you can choose whether or not you would like to complete. Following this visit, our contract will end. 

 

In addition to these visits, I will also continue to check-in with you via text weekly after the birth of your baby. As well, you will also still have 24/7 informational support included. This will end after our final postpartum visit (which is when our contract ends).

 

(OPTIONAL) VISIT #3- If you have chosen to do a newborn keepsake, this visit will be dedicated to completing that. See below for details on what the newborn keepsake entails.

 

If after your final visit, you are not quite feeling ready to end our contract, let me know. We can work something out so that you feel fully supported for as long as you need!

 

• Lactation Support

Nursing is not as easy as you might think! If you're having a hard time, I am happy to lend you a hand. We can work on hand expression, pumping, latch, positions, scheduled feeding, etc.

 

• FREE Rentals

I work in collaboration with Lagoon Prenatal, which is an absolutely FANTASTIC resource for you and your family to utilize during this time. One of these resources is the use of their ElleTENS Machine and their Birth Sling, both of which are great tools to help you with pain management during labour. Dependant on availability.

 

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS...

 

• Newborn Keepsake

At an optional third postpartum visit, I will come over and we will make a newborn keepsake for you to cherish. I will provide all required materials. We will make handprints and footprints of your baby and frame them.

 

• Private Gender Reveal

This is NOT meant to be a gender reveal "party". It is meant to be a private reveal just for you and your partner (and your older children if you would like) to learn the sex of your baby in a fun and exciting way. I will come to your home (approximately 30 minutes) and facilitate the reveal of your choice. I will provide all required material.

 

Options include:

 

~T-Shirt Handprints- Ahead of time, you will let me know what colours you would like to represent each sex. You will be given a white T-Shirt to put on at the beginning of the reveal, and then you and your partner will both be blindfolded. Your partners hands will be painted and then they will put their hands on your belly, and the paint will make a handprint in the colour that corresponds with your baby's sex. If you would prefer your older child to be the one who gives does the handprints, I can provide two white T-Shirts so that you and your partner can each have one.

 

~Balloon Pop- Ahead of time, you will let me know what colours you would like to represent each sex. I will bring two opaque black balloons filled with confetti of the colour that corresponds with your baby's sex. You and your partner (or child) will be given a balloon and a pin, and on the count of three, you will pop the balloons, releasing the confetti, and revealing the sex.

 

~Tic Tac Toe- Ahead of time, you will let me know what colours you would like to represent each sex. I will bring a large poster board done up as a large game of tic-tac-toe. Inside each of the squares, there will be a black circle of construction paper. On the backside of those circles, there will be circles of both colours that you chose to indicate both sexes. Only one colour will have three in a row. You will take turns flipping one circle at a time until you reveal three in a row. That row will be the colour that corresponds with your baby's sex.

 

If you have any other ideas that are not listed, let me know! I am happy to work together to create the perfect reveal for you!

 

**Please note that you will have to discuss with your care provider at your anatomy scan how to get the results to me. Please feel free to give them my phone number or email to speak with me directly if they would like.

 

• Birth Story

Writing is a passion of mine! I would love to write a detailed account of your labour and birth for you to keep to remember this experience and all its little details. If this is something you would like, you must let me know prior to your delivery date. Of course, this writing will NOT happen during your birthing experience. This is something I will do after leaving the hospital in the days after you deliver. For this reason, I will ask for your consent to take notes during quiet moments of your delivery to help guide me in my writing.