Love Letters

They say everything happens for a reason, and I have no doubt in my mind that we were intended to have Renée along with us on our birth journey. My husband and I had a difficult time conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy. So much was out of our control. We felt powerless much of the time. Once we discovered we finally had a strong, healthy life growing inside of us, we knew we wanted to do everything in our ability to feel empowered and educated for the remainder of our pregnancy and during the postpartum period. Enter Renée! Renée has gone above and beyond our expectations since Day 1. She was always available to answer questions for us, and each of our in-person sessions brought a sense of peace and a plethora of newfound knowledge.

After becoming a mother, one of the things I have come to realize is that once you have a child (or are expecting one!) things probably won’t go exactly as you planned…especially if you are a Type A planner, much like myself. Thank goodness we had Renée to help us navigate unforeseen circumstances. The home laboring we had planned, followed by a water birth? Yeah, it didn’t happen! On the contrary, our baby was breech and our dream birth was no longer in the cards for us. We tried everything to get that little love to flip, including a version, which was performed at the hospital. Even though Renée did not need to be present for the version, she was there with us at the hospital – holding our hands, giving me massages, and doing everything she could to help us relax in a very upsetting situation. Sadly, the version did not work and we were faced with our worst birthing fear – a cesarean.

To say we were devastated is an understatement. Thankfully, Renée once again stepped in. She helped us regain a sense of empowerment and control as we planned a “gentle cesarean.” On the day of our delivery, we handed over the birth plan we had carefully crafted with Renée’s guidance, knowing it reflected our desires and answered every question and scenario that could possibly arise. Renée helped us turn those lemons into lemonade! Renée was not permitted in the operating room, but was waiting for my husband in recovery to help him navigate his first skin-to-skin experience with our daughter. It was such a relief to see Renée’s warm, smiling face once I was finally wheeled out. She helped me learn how to get the baby to latch for the first time, and was our voice when we were too overwhelmed to stand up for some of the things that were important to us and for the well-being of our baby.

Remember when I said things rarely go as planned? Well, shortly after delivering our daughter, it was clear that I was having difficulty lactating. Renée was in constant contact in the days following the arrival of our daughter. Knowing how important breastfeeding was to me, especially after not being able to have the drug free vaginal birth I desperately wanted, Renée made incredible suggestions regarding strategies I could implement to get my milk to come in. She also introduced me to the most wonderful lactation consultant. During our visit to the LC, Renee once again went above and beyond. She actually joined us on our THREE HOUR LONG consultation so she could gain more knowledge and know how best to assist me on my breastfeeding journey! This information will also be vital to countless families in the future. What an incredible person!

Now that we are nearly seven months postpartum, Renée is still very much present in our lives. She often checks in to see how we are doing. I have also been able to reach out to her for advice when I was worried about something or needed guidance on a new stage in the baby’s development. Let me tell you, as a first time mom, there is so much to learn and Renée is always patient with me and super helpful. She has been such a tremendous support for our family since the day we met her. I truly don’t know what we would do without her.

Although when we initially hired Renée, I thought it would mostly be for help with a “natural” birth. However, our relationship with her during this challenging journey has been so much more than I ever could have anticipated. I genuinely feel that we hit the lottery when we were fatefully introduced to Renée and her tribe. I cannot imagine having gone through this experience without her by our side. If you are looking for a doula who truly cares and has a gift for this calling, please look no further than Renée. You will be in the most wonderful and capable hands.

Lets face it, what we’re all lacking is BALANCE. Being pregnant for the first time I was finding that particularly true, especially in such a polarized culture. It’s already hard to feel safe and secure when you are GROWING A HUMAN but navigating all the varying options/opinions (and motives behind them!) makes having a baby right now even harder. Some people might assume that because I hired a doula, I’m against conventional medicine. Let me say it again… BALANCE. I love doctors! My husband is a cancer survivor and I too have had serious health issues that I might not have survived had it not been for the help of modern medicine and the professional teams that assisted us. That being said, we also can’t ignore the fact that medicine is a business… and unfortunately businesses are all about the bottom line and even the sincerest of health professionals are restricted to the parameters of that business. Am I beyond grateful for those teams of professionals that helped us? Yes! Do I think they’d remember my name if I met them on the street today? Unfortunately no.

I was starting MY FAMILY. I wanted the emotions I associated with that process to be warm, calm and comfortable. I wanted a friend… and that’s what I got.

The second you meet Renée, a weight lifts. You’d get this feeling from her even if she was your Starbucks barista, but fortunately for me she chose a profession where she can really help people. The prenatal education I received from her not only prepared my body for the birth that I was hoping for (My doctors wanted to induce me, I wanted to labor naturally… which I ended up doing successfully), it prepared my mind and heart as well and that is invaluable!

That alone would have made my experience with Renée worth it, but then there was the Big Kahuna, D day, the day we all say we’re excited for but really we’re terrified of, the day your insides actually become part of your outsides… the birth. She was there FOR ME. It was about my family’s experience, because of her. I was able to work through my contracts uninterrupted by questions that could wait, because of her. I didn’t have to endure a painful exam a second time (unnecessary for training), because of her. I was able to embrace my baby as long as I wanted for the first time, because of her. And this is not to mention the actual emotional and physical support she offered me and my Husband the entire time all the while allowing it to be our day and allowing us to feel like we did it ourselves. Maybe she’s a genie, or a fairy, or related to Oprah… either way special doesn’t begin to do her justice.

Because I hired a doula, because I hired Renée, I was the bottom line. From the start to beyond finish (oh yeah, she follows up months after too) I got the balance I was looking for. I understood fully every step of the way what my body was experiencing and what my baby was going through and needing from me.

Doulas are a necessity. They should not be the luxury or option that our culture has turned them into. Every woman deserves this peace of mind. During the most vulnerable moment of her life, every woman deserves this friend.

Renée is the perfect blend of spirited cheerleader and sensitive sage.

She truly went above and beyond. Each session we had with her, my husband and I were overwhelmed with her breadth of knowledge and support. Her focus is on the health and wellbeing of mother and baby, and she generously gave her time, knowledge and attention in order to provide the best care. We sincerely learned so much, it felt like we took a college course on babies, pregnancy and labor!

My birth experience was an incredibly positive one.

We were able to birth naturally and labor at home comfortably until it was necessary to go into the hospital. I wish more women knew how powerful their minds and bodies are, how possible it is to give birth naturally, and how important and valuable a support system like a doula of Renée’s caliber can be in contributing to a beautiful prenatal, labor and postpartum experience. Once again, I’d just love to mention how generous Renée is, when compared to the experiences of friends who’ve worked with other doulas, what Renée offers goes way above and beyond in regards to time, attention and quality of resource.

When I found out I was pregnant with our first child I was shocked and overjoyed. Soon, though, those initial emotions parted and fear tried to creep in. Because this was my first pregnancy I felt I had a lot to learn. But that wasn’t the only reason I struggled. A few months earlier, my nephew was stillborn after seemingly thriving in the womb. Throw a pandemic into the mix and my anxiety threatened to take over.

After picking a practice and a hospital I felt comfortable with, I realized I still craved more support. I would have loved to have my mom at the hospital with me for the birth, but Covid stole that option. Who could take her place? My husband is amazingly supportive but I didn’t know how I would want him to help. I didn’t know how to ask him for what I would need when I didn’t even know what I would need. I soon realized we needed to invest in a doula.

I found Renée by asking moms who shared the same values as me for recommendations. After our first phone conversation, I knew she was the missing piece.

Finding her was a blessing beyond what My husband and I expected. She was, and is, the one piece in this journey that is irreplaceable. The expertise, compassion, and understanding she brings to each interaction, to every single question or concern we have, inspire us to embrace this journey with confidence and serenity.

Because of our time with her, we have been equipped with an abundance of tools, to make our pregnancy, birth, and beyond, joyful experiences. She’s shared resources that prepared us physically, emotionally, and spiritually and brought us the most thoughtful and useful gifts. Most importantly, Renée helped me overcome my fears of the unknown, of pain, of being ill-prepared, by teaching me to open my heart and mind to the innate strength and abilities within myself.

A few years ago I started my journey on a non toxic life. I learned more about a natural, unmedicated birth and knew this is what I wanted the day I became pregnant. I also decided I want to hire a birth doula to help me through the process. I told my husband my decision and he was immediately on board. We started researching doulas in our area as well as educating ourselves on exactly what they do. Renée came recommended to us and we are glad she did! We had our first initial meeting virtually and we both felt like we had known her forever. She even paid attention to our cat! Renée made it known to us how each person in your family is important during this time. We decided right away to choose her as our birth doula.

Renée was not only focused on me during my pregnancy but also considered the needs of my husband and how he would be supported during this time. He felt so confident in everything she taught him. Renée was very responsive to his questions and emails. She provided him with the tools to become a well informed dad and supportive birth coach.

Renée is more than just our doula. She became our friend. Without her we would not have had the pregnancy and labor experience we wanted. All my life I had feared labor and delivery and the pain that came along with it. I thought “give me that epidural as soon as possible!” With the help of Renée and the tools she gave me, my view completely changed. I was able to connect to my body and my baby more during my pregnancy and I looked forward to experiencing what labor and delivery was all about. My body was made for this! Renée helped me find my strength and confidence. Her knowledge and commitment to our family provided us everything we needed during and after pregnancy. I found my tribe or women, a postpartum therapist, childbirth classes, breastfeeding support, literature, and the list goes on. I never felt uncomfortable going to Renée for any advice or question I might have had, and even sometimes just to cry and vent out whatever feelings I was having at the moment. I could not be more happy with the choice I made to hire Renée. I know I can count on her for the next baby!