Doula Support

A Birthkeeper holds the sacred wisdom surrounding physiological birth and walks with women in their childbearing years. They are the keepers of sacred space. A doula is a woman trained and experienced in childbirth, who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a birthing person/couple during labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum.

I am both birth doula and holistic birthkeeper.

I passionately believe that all parents deserve a doula or birthkeeper; someone who will listen to them, provide non-judgmental support and advocacy, someone who respects you, provides unwavering presence and whose role it is to be in service to you and your family. A healthy and supported parent is the foundation of a healthy family and a healthy society!

I began my doula practice in 2001, and I have been fascinated by the power of birth since I was a child. I have been certified by DONA and have studied at the Seattle Midwifery School, Birthing From Within teacher trainings, and have worked with Big Belly Services in Seattle. I now offer my services to the families in the San Juan Islands.

Prenatal Visits (2)

We will meet at least twice to discuss your plans for the birth, to customize my services to your specific needs, and to assist you with preparations for the birth of your baby as well as the postpartum period.

Continuous Labor Support

I will be with you continuously from early labor* until a few hours after the birth. During labor, I can provide any of the following:

• Emotional support and reassurance

• Physical comfort measures (including massage)

• Information about ways to enhance the labor process

• Committed advocacy of your unique needs and wishes

• Care which is complementary to both your caregiver’s role and your partner’s role

• Photography

  *If you labor is precipitous and taking place away from Orcas Island, I will get to you as soon as I am able.

Postpartum Visits (2)

I will visit you and your family a few days after the birth to discuss your birth experience, newborn care and feeding, postpartum self care, and to help coordinate your support network. I will conclude my care with a final postpartum visit generally about 3 weeks postpartum.

Investment

Sliding Scale: $1600-$2200

Everyone should be able to have a doula if they want one. I offer this sliding scale as one way to acknowledge the differences in income, generational wealth, privilege, and costs of services that exist in our current economy. As a small business owner, I can’t change the systems of economic disparities and social injustice as quickly as I’d like. But this is how I can create more opportunities for equity, change the way business is done, and be able to make a living for myself.

What is a sliding scale?

A sliding scale is an alternative to a set fee. Instead of charging one fixed amount for my services, I offer a range of fee for my work based on your ability to pay.

I will never ask you to show proof of your income or living expenses. “Proving oneself” is part of patriarchal and colonial systems that keep power over others. I simply ask that you take into account the ways in which opportunity and oppression impact your life and consider how to support economic justice for all. Together, we can create equity on a personal and local level. 

Here are some of the many factors that contribute to financial oppression:

Marginalization through racism, gender, or sexual orientation

Restricted employment or earning opportunities due to age, immigration status, incarceration history, physical ability, or neurodiversity

Lack of medical insurance

Here are some of the many factors that contribute to financial privilege:

Access to family money and resources

Inherited money

Home ownership

Money in retirement or investment accounts

A high level of education

If you work part time or not at all by choice, or otherwise choose to not access your earning power, please consider yourself in this category

How sliding scale options support everyone

When you pay the upper end of the sliding scale, know that you are helping to cover the costs of my services such as my time, training, and supplies. When you pay on the lower end of the sliding scale, know you are allowing the community to help support your needs. When you pay above the sliding scale, know that you are helping to support my business and our greater community. If you are unable to afford the low end of the scale, please let me know and we can work something out.
I am also able to offer payment plans if making a few payments will allow you to pay what you want.
This scale is intended to be an opportunity to think about what contributes to financial well-being. It invites you to take a deeper look at what constitutes economic privilege. Most importantly, it is a way to challenge a capitalist society and work for economic justice locally. It is not intended to cause stress, so don’t fret about what you should pay. Pay what feels right.

After interviewing and deciding to hire me as your doula, I ask a retainer fee of $700, due at the time of hire.  The remaining balance is due at our final postpartum visit.

Placenta Encapsulation:  $200

Most mammals consume their placentas after birth and humans have also done so for ages.   Their are numerous benefits to ingesting the placenta.
Benefits include:
~increased milk production
~ decrease of incidence or severity of postpartum depression
~hormonal and energetic rebalancing
~Improvement of overall postpartum recovery

I use a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) recipe when I steam, dehydrate and encapsulate your baby’s placenta.