You deserve to feel empowered, loved, and in control in your pregnancy, birth, and motherhood journey.
I am here to help you write your story.
For the women who…
- …understand that a positive birth experience is possible but aren't exactly sure how to create it.
- …have a desire to trust their God given intuition to birth their babies in a way only they can.
- …feel nervous about stepping into their power, but know it is within reach.
- …want to facilitate deeper connections between themselves, their partner, and their precious tiny human.
I am here to support, educate, and advocate for you. Plain and simple.
About
Hey there! I'm Dana.
I am a wife. I am a mom. And I am a passionate, trained birth doula.
My doula journey
After my own positive birth experience, I was flooded with memories of how many women shared their stories of trials, disappointments, and even trauma from their birth experiences. The fire was ignited.
I cannot express the righteous indignation I feel whenever I hear of a woman whose feelings were ignored, whose natural process was interrupted, or who was scared into a decision without all of the information to make an informed choice — if a choice was even presented. It is because of these stories that birth has become, to so many people, something to be feared.
But I believe that growing and bringing a life into this world is a beautiful, messy, and sacred process that connects women to their God-given power. Whether you give birth at home or in the hospital, vaginally or via cesarean, with medication or without — every single woman deserves to feel empowered, loved, and in control.
That comes through education, information, and support of your motherly intuition. It comes from feeling safe, feeling complete trust, and a willingness to be vulnerable.
Training & background
I attended my DONA approved doula training program in 2021.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in speech-language pathology and audiology with a minor in psychology, and a Master of Arts in speech-language pathology. I practiced as a licensed speech therapist in the medical setting for four years before turning to birth work full-time.
A few things about me
I consider myself a lifelong athlete — I was a competitive swimmer for 15 years and swam for a Division I team in college. I love being outside: near water, in the mountains, or on a nature walk at the park.
On rainy days we get the rain gear on and take the kids out to play in puddles. There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. Then, of course, soup and homemade bread.
My self care is what I call "mandatory feet up time" — 15 minutes, a small afternoon coffee, feet on the couch. It has been life changing.
Services
Continuous support, from the first question to the fourth trimester.
Prenatal meetings
We will schedule two prenatal meetings where we discuss your birth plan, any fears you have, and how I — your doula — and your partner can best support you.
Virtual support
I am available by text, call, FaceTime, or Zoom. I like to stay informed after prenatal visits and I'm always around to answer questions and share resources as they come up.
This is true before your birth, and after.
Physical
I am trained to help you through:
- Relaxation techniques
- Hydrotherapy
- Acupressure
- Breath work
- Physical assistance for coping in labor
- Positions to help labor progress
Emotional
Pregnancy and birth can be an emotional rollercoaster. I am a trained birth professional with knowledge of the emotional changes that can happen within moments. I will coach you through decision making and empower YOU to make informed choices — supporting you, validating you, and encouraging you to trust your body and your baby.
Partner
Doulas are a source of support for expectant mothers AND partners. Partners, I am here to help you help her.
When you lean into the role of supporting a birthing momma, you will find a connection like no other. I am here to facilitate that connection.
Informational
Pregnancy and childbirth come with so many unknowns. While I am not a crystal ball, I can provide information and resources for your specific, non-medical questions. I am also a great resource for learning HOW to best communicate with care providers, friends, and family.
Documentation
I am happy to capture moments in all stages of birth through pictures and videos. I will always prioritize mom over photos, but I do my best to capture the beauty of the process when a birth photographer isn't present.
I also provide a written outline of your labor and birth experience as a keepsake.
Postpartum
After your life-changing, incredible, miraculous experience of birthing a human, we will schedule two meetings. One visit is required, ideally 1–2 weeks after birth; the other, if you'd like it, comes 4–6 weeks after.
We'll follow up on your birth experience, check on how you are adjusting to adding another human to your day-to-day life, and answer any postpartum questions.
"When you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change."Marie F. Mongan
Doula facts
There is nothing to lose in hiring a doula, and so much to gain.
The largest systematic review of continuous labor support analyzed 21 randomized control studies covering 15,000 women. The findings are evidence based, with no known risks. According to the summary in the DONA Birth Position Paper, doula-supported women were:
What do these facts mean for you? A doula-supported birth is not only for those who want an unmedicated birth. Hiring a birth doula is most beneficial for preventing avoidable interventions when mom and baby are both healthy — and having a doula present has the highest improvement in positive childbirth experiences, no matter how mom chooses to proceed.
A doula never replaces your partner. Continuous support simply means you are never left alone with only hospital staff. See services above for how I support partners and facilitate their involvement.
Testimonials
In their words.
I cannot sing Dana's praises enough! I was Dana's first birth as a doula and you would never know — she seemed like a seasoned pro. She knew exactly what to do and how to help me feel as comfortable as possible. She also put my husband at ease and showed him how to be helpful. There is no possible way I could have progressed to 8 cm without an epidural without Dana. I had intense back labor and was afraid to move without counter pressure on my back, and she never left me hanging — even when I was in a wheelchair. On top of that, she is down to earth, really easy to talk to, and so comforting. It's like she was born to do this (pun intended).
During my birthing experience with Dana by my side, I most benefited from her guidance and positive affirmations every step of the way. I couldn't be more happy with my natural birthing experience. I know it took hard work on my end, but I also know that without Dana my experience would have looked much different. She knows exactly what she is doing and cares so much about ALL of her clients — mother, baby, and partner.
Dana is wonderful. She is responsive, listens to your concerns, and is there for you every step of the way. I appreciate how she really cared about what I wanted for my birth, and supported me even when things didn't go as expected. She helped us prepare for labor by teaching my husband and me useful techniques, pointing me toward Christian resources, and helping me have a more spiritual mindset leading up to and during labor. I don't think I would have had as peaceful and smooth a labor as I did if it wasn't for Dana.
I benefited most by having her there as our coach — making sure I was moving, breathing properly through contractions, sleeping, and talking us through each part of the day. It felt like we were a cohesive team, and that was exactly what we wanted.
Dana would remind me of the best techniques to support my wife when I would freeze up. She was also a great emotional support, because she would not only ask how my wife was doing, she would check in with me to make sure I was okay. It was a great blessing to have Dana as our doula. Her expertise and loving attentiveness brought peace and comfort from the first contraction until our sweet baby girl was sleeping in our arms.
Dana supported me mentally throughout my wife's entire birthing experience. With Dana's support, I was able to know in every moment how to be there for my wife when she needed me the most. I now know how to be there for my wife during a natural birthing experience, and we will 100% be using Dana in the future. There's no doubt about it.
I felt calm and supported throughout the actual birth, and was also able to draw on the knowledge and previous guidance Dana had shared during our preparation sessions. It was great to have an established relationship with her going into the birth.
Contact
Let's talk.
Tell me a little about you and your birth. I'll get back to you to set up a conversation — a chance to ask anything and see if we're a fit to work together!
There is no such thing as a silly question. Ask it.