How we work together
During pregnancy
Birthready offers a variety of services to help meet your personal needs and birthing intention. This can be determined over the phone, via skype and at our first meeting. This is flexible and can be adjusted as need be during our partnership.
We explore and discuss your goals and look at how you can best plan and prepare for birth, such as:
- Exploring any fears or concerns you might have
- Clarifying and writing your birth plan
- Attending a Birthready active birth workshop
- Discussing birth options
- Practicing birth skills to be physically and emotionally prepared (including partners)
- Practicing calm/hypno birthing techniques, and more.
- Relationship check in
Here are a springboard of options to create a doula package thats right for you
The aim is to find how your doula might best support you and help you to be ready. For example, in my work with women, I also incorporate my coaching and NLP skills to help people process fears and boost their confidence. Our doulas will have a range of skills to offer, and be available by phone and email between visits. 2 weeks prior to the due date and until the birth your doula is 'on call' and will need 1-2 hours (pending distance to you) before being present with you in labour from the time you call.
Rarely unexpected circumstances such as illness or attendance at another birth make me unavailable for labour support. To cover those times, a back up doula can attend the birth. You have of course as much say about who that is, so meeting or having a phone conversation with her before the due date is an option. (I can recommend some for you).
In labour
Even if you do not yet need your doula, call her when you think labour is beginning. This allows time for any preparation that needs to be done and offers encouragement and an exchange of information. She can come to your home, the birth centre or hospital and transfer with you to the place chosen for birth when needed. A doula stays throughout labour and birth and about 1–2 hrs after birth, depending.
Postpartum
Your doula remains in phone contact with you to see how you, the baby and other support people are adjusting. A suitable time is arranged for a visit at your home in the coming days/ weeks for a birth debrief and follow up support.
This is more than a working partnership. Our doulas understand the balance that needs to be found between the special connection that grows when you share such significant life moments together along with a professionalism that support the service to work at its best.