You do not have to be a particularly strong or brave or relaxed woman to get through labour. You just need
to be a woman. The Big Book of Birth
Explaining My Services
As your birth doula, my role in this eventful time of your life is to provide physical, emotional, and informational support throughout the experience. I do this in a variety of ways, and I am happy to further tailor my services to your particular needs.
Prenatally I offer. . .
- A minimum of four prenatal visits, once you have confirmed that you would like my support
- Unlimited phone support, 24/7
- Access to my lending library of reading and audio-visual materials
- Physical suggestions to make pregnancy and childbirth more comfortable
- Information about breastfeeding and discussion of ways to prepare for breastfeeding
- Discussion of your preferences for birth, and assistance in creating a Birth Preference Plan for reference by those attending the birth
During labour and birth. . .
- I will join you at the onset of active labour and remain with you until at least two hours after the birth of your baby, both in your home and at the hospital
- When needed, I offer information about medical procedures
- I facilitate communication between members of your birth team
- I am skilled in offering massage, non-pharmacologic pain relief measures, aromatherapy (in the home), and other comfort techniques
- I provide physical support with positioning suggestions and assistance
- I offer encouragement for your partner, to instill the confidence needed to get involved in your labour and birth support
- I offer assistance with establishing breastfeeding
Postnatally. . .
- I will visit you daily in the hospital, and then at least twice in your home within the first few weeks after your baby is born
- I offer support with breastfeeding and any help needed for the adjustment to life with a newborn
- I offer informational support at this time by connecting you with a variety of community resources that you may wish to take advantage of as a new parent
- I ensure that there is an opportunity to discuss the event of your birth
For you to keep. . .
It is an important part of my role to preserve the memory of your birth. One way that I will try to do that is by recording the timeline of events as they happen during the labour and delivery. I can also take photographs, if that is something that you would like. I use these things to create a keepsake record of your baby's birth for you.
I will strive to adapt and modify my services to meet your particular needs and wishes. I am eager to help you in any way that you need!
We are, each of us angels with only one wing; and we can
only fly by embracing one another. Luciano de Crescenzo
The cost of birth doula services
The fees charged by birth doulas vary greatly from region to region. Locally, services vary as well because currently, there are several doulas who are offering services for free or at a reduced rate because they would like experience while they are working toward certification. Please be encouraged to find a birth doula with whom you feel comfortable, and don't worry about the cost. The vision of DONA International is A doula for every woman who wants one, so with that in mind, no one should feel that doula services are beyond their reach because of financial limitations. Arrangements can always be made to accommodate everyone.
Please contact me to book a consultation
with no obligation!
To make our relationship as clear as possible, I have outlined my services in greater detail. I offer packages to suit a variety of needs, and any of these can be further modified to suit your particular wishes.
The fees that I indicate below are on a sliding scale, and are comparable with those of other experienced local birth doulas. This means that the fees listed are the minimum and maximum fees that I charge. I ask that you pay within that range what you can afford and what you think the services that I provide you are worth.
Consultation Visit
This is a free, no obligation visit for anyone curious about birth doula services. It is an opportunity to learn more about the services that I offer and to meet and get to know me. Free
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I really believe that a doula can benefit everyone's situation, so please be encouraged to contact and meet as many doulas as it takes until you find the right fit for your family.
We are fortunate now in Prince George to have several birth doulas. It shouldn't be a problem at all for you to find someone with whom you feel compatible. Best wishes in your search!
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Birth Preference Consultation
A two-plus hour consultation to help develop a Birth Preference Plan if you are not interested in using birth support services, but still want to know what your options are and how to put them into clear and concise writing for your birth team. $60
Standard Birth Support Package
A minimum of 4 prenatal visits
On-call for questions, support, and labour, 24/7
Full labour and birth support, in home and/or hospital
A minimum of 2 postpartum visits in your home $350-$550
Scheduled Cesarean Birth Support Package
1 prenatal visit to plan and prepare for the surgery
On-call 24/7 for questions and support before your birth
Birth support at the hospital, during surgery--Doulas can be with you (and your partner) in the OR if you are not under a general anaesthetic. Alternatively, your doula can be in the waiting room until you are in recovery
A minimum of 2 postpartum visits in your home $200-$300
Last Minute Birth Support Package
While I encourage pregnant women to contact me early in their pregnancies, I realize that this is not always possible. This service is only available after the 37th week of pregnancy, and MAY NOT be available if I am fully booked.
1 attempted prenatal visit
On-call for questions, support, and labour, 24/7
Full labour and birth support in home and/or hospital
A minimum of 2 postpartum visits in your home $350-$450
Only with trust, faith, and support can the woman allow the
birth experience to enlighten and empower her.
Women's strongest feelings [in terms of their birthings],
positive and negative, focus on the way they were treated by
their caregivers. Annie Kennedy & Penny Simkin
At what point in my pregnancy should I hire a birth doula?
As soon as possible! This is such a special time that you are inviting someone to, so please embrace every opportunity of making the most of your relationship well before labour begins.
I carry a limited case load so I can provide quality care to my clients while still maintaining a balance between work and family life. This means that I only have a limited number of spaces each month, so as soon as you know your due date, contact me!
But if, like many women, you have just procrastinated in finding out about doula services for whatever reason, then please contact me anyway. The nature of birth support work is that it's very unpredictable, so it's not uncommon for a month's worth of clients to birth their babies before the month begins or within the first few days, and space opens up afterall. If there is any concern that I won't be available to offer you quality support because I am fully-booked, then I will help you to find a compatible doula who has space.
How can I hire a birth doula?
Contact me today!
Birth Blessings Doula Services
Erin Hunter
Birth Doula
250-563-9684
250-552-4249
For information about other local doulas. . .
Check out:
The Prince George Doula Association
Serving the Birthing Community of Northern BC
