I don’t know why anyone would want to go through the birth experience without a doula.

Renée was my doula for my second pregnancy. We knew much more than we did the first time around but Renée offered my husband and I a deeper study into what really happens during the birth process both physically and emotionally. I loved how Renée included us both in her practices. Through conversations, the birth, and the weeks and months following we formed a bond that has lasted past the walls of the delivery room. Renée provides a calming presence that just makes you feel cared for and loved. She rubbed my back with black pepper essential oil during contractions, held my hand while I pushed, made up the bed for my husband in our recovery room after the birth, visited our home shortly after we left the hospital, and checks in every now and then. Having a baby is hard on the mind, body, and soul. Having Renée on your team is… truly wonderful.

Preparing for birth in a pandemic was the reality my husband and I had to face. Dreams of being surrounded by friends and family while celebrating our pregnancy was replaced with Zoom and phone calls. The only human interaction I had was with midwives and ultrasound technicians. We were months into the Pandemic and sick of Zoom, but knew we needed to take a breastfeeding class. It was taught by Renée and to our surprise, we found her class to be engaging and fun. We laughed the entire time while learning skills I still use 7 months into my breastfeeding journey. When doulas were finally permitted to attend hospital births, our search started and ended with Renée. She was so welcoming when we had our prenatal meetings. She taught my husband and I different skills and comfort measures, to best prepare ourselves. Renée presented every option to us when it came to our birth plan ensuring that whatever decision we made, was right for us.

When I walked through the hospital doors with my husband and Renée I knew that everything was about to change and I was comforted to have these two with me. Renée walked beside me, coached, and encouraged me throughout my labor. When we realized that my daughter was very comfortable in an anterior position, Renée used her skills to spin my baby. Even though I was resisting some of the positions she had me in, she knew what to say to get me moving. Aside from the physical ways that Renée helped me, she reminded me how important the mental aspect of labor is.

When I felt that labor was stalling, she would ask “what are you holding onto”. Every time she said it, she was right. I was holding onto fear, doubt, and negativity. I had no idea the impact this would have on my labor until she helped me release it.
Eventually, my daughter made her descent and before we knew it, we gave birth to our perfect little girl. The nurse looked at our birth plan printout and said we did everything listed on it. I know that would never have been the case without Renée.

Our time with Renée didn’t end there. She visited our apartment to help me with breastfeeding and finding the perfect latch for my baby. 7 Months in, and she still checks in with my husband and I. We can’t help but smile when we hear from Renée, remembering the moment our lives changed as we became a family. I wanted to look back to my birthing experience as something positive and empowering. I got that and more and I have Renée to thank for that.

One of the greatest blessings one could experience is bringing a baby into this world. Something that we were able to experience and enjoy with the help of Renée. During a time of several life changes and a pandemic raging at its peak… there were many uncertainties.
One constant was Renée. She reassured and gently guided us, so we could have OUR best birthing experience. The hospital and its staff knew how to bring a baby into the world alive, Renée helped us bring our daughter into the world loved. She not only knew the ways that have been used by women for millennia to birth children but was our advocate for them in the delivery room at the right time and in the right way. She also helped both of us, mother and father, to bond with our daughter immediately after birth. We will never forget what she did for us!

I was referred to Renee by a friend of mine as well as my chiropractor. From the moment I met her during our initial consult I knew she would be a great fit to hold my hand through the birth of our second child. After a couple of home sessions and a virtual as well, I was comfortable that Renee was aware of both my hopes and fears going into this pandemic birth. She provided a great refresher course on stages of labor, what my husband could do to help me during labor, things I should stock up on for after the baby is born, nutritional advice and planning for our family of four. Renee always followed up with me after appointments and kept herself available to me for questions anytime day or night.

When the big day finally arrived, we felt prepared, but were grateful to have Renee for her calming presence and her extra set of hands for whatever we needed – trips to the car, fanning me during contractions when it felt hard to breathe, advocating our birth plan, helping with the first nursing sessions, holding the baby while we showered afterward, warming food, taking photos, you name it!

Following the birth, Renee also paid us a visit a few days later to check in on the baby and myself, answer any questions we had and talk through the birth and the 4th trimester.

Becoming a Mom (even again) is both a physical and emotional marathon and the importance of having the extra support of a Doula cannot be underestimated…it is without reservation that I would recommend Renee’s services. Thanks to her and the rest of my team, we were able to have the natural, birthing center birth experience I had hoped for and most importantly, a happy, healthy little girl in our arms.