I have made the intentional decision to no longer offer doula services. With the extreme coercive abuse that happens regularly in the Mid-Ohio Valley hospitals and the manipulative and fear-based care in the hospitals and birth center, I cannot continue to place my health within these spaces when it is unnecessary and watch women lose their confidence to speak up for what they strongly desire, to watch husbands have to be aggressive or encourage their wives to just stop asking for what they want, as they are bullied and manipulated into procedures (both necessary and unnecessary) by obstetricians, nurses, pediatricians, and other hospital staff alike.
I can offer you an alternative to this broken system in our region, but I will no longer play this game of balancing support in a completely non-physiological environment with how far I can push it before they kick me out. If you want to avoid these unnecessary procedures and coercion, optimize your health and plan a home birth. I can only handle the small amount of transports to the hospital that my personal midwifery clients need. It takes me a lot of physical and emotional processing after these transports alone and I can’t continue to choose to place myself in that type of medical environment without actually needing to be there.
I also no longer offer doula services at other home births. Every midwife has their own style of care, and I encourage you to seek my care as a primary midwife if you would like my energy in your space. I work alongside many of the area midwives, although our styles differ. I believe the midwives are fully capable of providing all the emotional, physical, and informational support you will need if you are birthing at home with someone else.
However, there are other new doulas in the area that offer both home and hospital support and if you are looking for additional support. I don’t make specific recommendations for doulas, but there are multiple options you can choose from. Regardless of your choice for support, I highly recommend you and your birth team take a complete Perinatal Education Series (such as EsaliBirth.com) or schedule in person or virtual live prenatal education with me so that you know your options both at home and in the hospital and can make informed decisions. If you plan to birth in a hospital or birth center, you should go in with a full understanding of your human rights, protective language and communication as your approach, and a recording device.
Many blessings and prayers for you on this journey.
I found Danielle after a frantic search for a doula. I was already 37 weeks when I first contacted her. I know that without the support of Danielle as my doula I wouldn't have made it through and would have ended up with many interventions. She went above and beyond and I'm so so grateful our paths crossed.
- Madison, Doula Support (Birth Center)