A person who has an expertise in the birth field who will offer emotional, physical, and educational support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

A birth doula is a trained birth professional who offers services throughout the pregnancy (at the time of hire) through the birth and immediate postpartum period. The doula is there if any emergent questions come up throughout the pregnancy—like, my doctor said my baby is measuring big? Does that mean I’m going to have a C-section?

A good doula will give you evidence based information from peer reviewed sources, point you in the right direction for where you can find more information, or be able to tell you from her first-hand experience what you’re looking for. The doula will be in contact with you leading up to the birth. It is unique to each individual how often they speak with their doula. Some people want to check in weekly; some would find that overwhelming. The important part is that your doula is available to you when you need advice or have questions.

At the birth- the doula will be by your side throughout the birth from the time you call her in until your baby arrives. You will get emotional support getting through contractions—sometimes that looks like the doula talking to you through each contraction (you can do anything for one minute) or giving you massages to get through them. She will help you along the way as providers make suggestions (should we break your water now?) or just to make sure you know your options throughout labor, and to keep you mentally focused and unafraid. Birth goes better when the mom is feeling safe and heard.

The doula also brings her knowledge of which positions will best help the baby come down based on the baby’s location. You can be an amazingly prepared mom who saved a million Instagram posts of information, but when you’re in the thick of labor, it helps to have someone by your side who knows that stuff by heart. Motion is lotion in labor, but the key is knowing how to move your pelvis at the right time based on the baby’s location. You definitely have some instincts on this, but having someone back you up and support you can make a huge difference in your birth.

Doulas also come in handy in making sure your birth preferences are honored. We can remind you of why you wanted those choices before you were in labor, and help you switch gears if the plan changes. You’re in charge of your birth, but doulas are there to guide you along the way.

I liken the role of a doula to that of a sherpa. You could climb Mt Everest without a sherpa, but it’s a lot harder without one. A good doula will be an excellent guide for you.

Doulas also provide immediate postpartum support. If you’re having a home birth, we help clean things up and get you tucked in. Whether it’s a hospital or home birth, doulas can offer breastfeeding support, when it’s wanted. We make sure you start off your postpartum period feeling confident.

Partners are such an important part of each birth story. I love it when partners want to be more involved and see everything unfolding.

As the partner, you can read every book (The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin is amazing) and prep for everything like a boss. But when it’s your person you love the most in the world going through a trying situation, a lot of that stuff tends to spill out of their heads.

It’s like trying to plan a vacation to Italy- you can read everything about the place and do your research. But there is no comparing the kind of tour you’d get from an authentic Italian man in the countryside who invites you home to Mama Mia’s house for some home cooking and dinner alfresco under those Italian stars.

Let me be your Giovanni, girl.

I’ve been a doula since 2016. I know the providers at Anne Arundle Medical center—some of them chose me as their doula! I know the nurses there, the policies, the standard practices that we can have some wiggle room with if you’re looking for a more hands off approach. I love the midwives there and they know me well. I’ve been invited to speak at different centering classes as well. I know other hospitals too (love BWMC and Dr O'Halloran; Howard County!), but most of my births are at AAMC.

Your partner can’t be an authentic Italian in Italy—birth is my home and I would love to be your tour guide.

But really, a good doula will help your partner help you! I tell people I’m 50% the birthing person’s doula, but I’m also 50% the partner’s doula. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own. We can do it together.

In the last nine years, I’ve used a back-up doula less than a dozen times. I am committed to the people that hire me and I take a limited number of births per month to ensure I’m not at another birth when you need me. That said, it has happened on occasion. In that case, I always have a back-up doula on call. My partner and friend, Nani Carr is always ready to jump in for me. She runs Doula of the Chesapeake and has been a doula for as long as I have been one.

I was her birth doula for her third baby, which was a beautiful home water birth. She would have been my doula for my second baby, but baby decided to come fast and furious in the car. But she was my postpartum doula, helping me with my 19 month old when I had a newborn—cooking, cleaning, and being amazing.

I 100% trust her to support you the way I would. But, I hate to miss any birth and promise to do everything I can to be there for you if I’m your doula.

I also aim to stay close to the Annapolis Area. The majority of my hospital births are at Anne Arundel Medical Center. So, if I do need to use a back up, you know I’m never very far and neither is she.

The cost of a doula in this area is about $2,000.00. If you go with an agency, you could get a brand new doula or an experienced one. It is sometimes hard to tell where they are in their careers. Additionally, if you go with an agency, your doula will only get 60% of the total you pay. 40% will go to maintaining the agency.

Safe & Sound Births is just me. I do offer payment plans and options, so I have some wiggle room to be flexible.

That being said, the cost of a good doula is worth her weight in gold.

You get this one birth. No other birth will be the same as this one. You want to go into it knowing you have help.

No matter what your birth goals, my goal for every person I get to be a doula for is to make sure they feel safe and make sure they feel heard.

Those two things are my focus, along with whatever else your goals are. But those two things can go a long way in helping to reduce birth trauma.

My job is to honor your birth preferences to the best of my ability, to build up your confidence, and support you and your partner through what I hope will be the happiest day of your lives.

Being a doula means I’ll be on-call for several weeks at a time for you, giving prenatal and postpartum support in person, online, over the phone and being present at the birth (which may be 8 hours or 13 hours—my husband never knows when to expect me back). The job is emotionally demanding, physically demanding, and causes a lot of lost sleep. I love birth work and I love being in the presence of that sacred energy of creation—it’s an honor and a privilege. I give my whole self to each client to the best of my ability. I have been told more than once that I changed someone’s life, which means the absolute world to me. That’s why my services cost that much. Nearly a decade of experience and knowledge has led me here and I have learned so much and continue to learn new things about the birth world to better help you achieve your birth goals.

Additionally, hiring a doula means:
* a significant decrease of about 45% in likelihood of cesarean section
* a significant decrease of 10 - 60% in mothers requesting an epidural
* a significant decrease of about 25% in the length of labor
* a significant decrease of 31% in the use of pain medication
* a significant decrease of 50% in the use of Pitocin
* a significant decrease of 34% in the number of forceps assisted births

Klaus, M. H., & Kennel , J. (n.d.). The doula: An essential ingredient of childbirth rediscovered. Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1997). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9350877/

Yes! I’m there regularly and the nurses and providers know me. They know my style and hands-on approach to regular movement in labor, especially during pushing.

Most of the homebirth midwives in the area stipulate in their contracts for all first time moms that they require a doula. I love this because midwives recognize doulas play a different kind of role in the birthing room separate from what the midwives play. I love getting to go to home births and support people in their own spaces. I love working with Emily Encinosa at Expecting With Emily, as well as Jennifer Argueta at College Park Midwifery.