I am a mother to five children here on earth. I have many years of experience as a certified postpartum Doula and am passionate about providing care to mothers during and after birth. At Birth and Beyond KC we provide both daytime and overnight support. We have a team of experienced Doula‘s ready to support and walk with you on your postpartum journey.
Registered Radiologic Technologist (1996)
StillBirthday Certified Birth Doula (2022)
Midwifery Institute Certified Postpartum Doula (2023)
English
During the day, support may include newborn care, feeding support, light household help, and emotional reassurance while prioritizing the parent’s recovery. Overnight care focuses on infant care, soothing, and feeding support so parents can get uninterrupted rest, knowing their baby is in capable, attentive hands.
Sarah and Amy were great to work with throughout my pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey! They have a wealth of knowledge and are very kind and caring. Birthing classes with Sarah were a blast and so helpful for me and my husband as first time parents. It was such a blessing and relief having Amy at my birth to be an extra set of eyes and hands when needed. I felt confident she would honor my birth plan and advocate for me when I needed her to—and she did exactly that! I can’t recommend Birth and Beyond KC enough for any and all of their services!
- Elizabeth Moline
My husband and I took all the in-person classes Sarah offers and it was amazing how prepared we both felt going into our birth as first time parents. Amy was our doula at the birth of our daughter and she created the most calming, supportive atmosphere you could possibly have in a hospital. I tell all my friends it felt like a home birth with the occasional doctor or nurse around. I cannot sing Sarah and Amy’s praises enough. They are truly incredible birth workers and my wish for the world is that every woman received the level of care they provided. Last but not least, Amy took some beautiful candid photos on the day of our birth that I will genuinely cherish forever.
- kat colburn
Amy was an absolute God send to us! Being pregnant with my twins was very overwhelming, emotional and tolling to say the least but Amy and Sarah made me feel seen, heard and well taken care of. Without a doubt one of the best decisions I made was hiring Amy! I had my twins at home after 38 hours of laboring and Amy's knowledge and expertise got me through some extremely difficult moments.. and my entire birthing experience would have had a much different outcome without her. I would recommend her and Sarah to any pregnant mama, whether its your first or fourth, they will make a difference in your story! ❤️ Forever grateful for you two ladies!!!
- Cheri Becker
We hired Sarah and Amy as our doulas for our first pregnancy, and I am so grateful we chose them — they were truly a gift during such a new and overwhelming journey. Being a first-time mom can feel scary, and having two knowledgeable, compassionate resources just a text away was invaluable. They were always prompt, supportive, and offered thoughtful, practical advice for every concern or question that came up. When it came time for delivery, Sarah was incredible. She advocated for my birth preferences, helped keep me calm and grounded, and captured over 100 beautiful photos for us to remember our daughter’s birth — something we will cherish forever. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and felt genuinely cared for throughout the entire process. We’ll absolutely be using them again for our next baby.
- Lauren Bechard
Amy & Sarah are amazing and we were so lucky to have them by our side throughout pregnancy and labor! We took the childbirth classes with Sarah and found these to be very informative and helped us prepare for what to expect. Sarah was by our side throughout our crazy labor experience helping with positions to help things progress and was an amazing advocate for us! We are so grateful for all of the support we received!!
- Ann Jackson
I hired Sarah for doula services for my daughter and her partner and they also took her birth classes. (Fall 2025 due date) My daughter was a young, first time mom, and it was important that the person who would be in this sacred birthing space with my daughter, would be a follower of Christ, a strong advocate for informed consent and bodily autonomy, and someone who my daughter felt comfortable with. I cannot overstate how pleased I was with the services and also what a pleasure it was just to meet and know Sarah! She was so knowledgeable, open, kind, responsive, gentle, reasonable, encouraging, and sensitive to the family dynamics. My daughter's birth experience was beautiful and memorable. I was so grateful to have Sarah there to advocate for my daughter alongside me. (Hard to think about those things when I was in 'mom mode'). She worked really well with the other healthcare professionals at the hospital (OP Regional). If youre reading this and considering a doula, I strongly encourage you to consult with her to see if it's a good fit. Sarah is a capable professional and a passionate advocate for women!
- A B
All the five star reviews you read here are legit and frankly, I'm surprised that there aren't more. If you’re even thinking about hiring doula support, Amy and Sarah are truly the best. They are professional, incredibly caring, and so deeply empathetic that they make the entire process far less overwhelming. From the very beginning, they listened to every concern I had and never once made me feel silly or unprepared. Thank you Amy and Sarah for everything you do, our family appreciates you both tremendously.
- Nika Nour
Sarah & Amy have been amazing helping out with our transition home from the NICU with our son that has some extra needs. We are so thankful for the support they’ve been able to provide helping with him as well as chores around the house!
- Lindsay Freeman
I had an amazing wonderful experience with birth and beyond KC! They answered all my questions quickly no matter the time. And when it came to labor they were so attentive and knew exactly what to do to help labor progress and give comfort. I can’t recommend them enough!!
- Chloe Brownlee
Sarah was incredible and so happy she was able to be apart of our birth story and experience
- Kaela Cosentino
truly, without the help of amy + sarah + their incredible expertise, i don’t think a natural birth would’ve been in the cards for me. they gave me the confidence to believe in what birth could look like, helped me build a plan to pursue my ideal experience, + then stood by me to make sure I got as close to that dream as possible. sarah is an amazing educator—a true well of wisdom. she has such a natural gift for teaching about one of the most powerful, life-changing experiences anyone can go through. i learned so much from her and felt so supported by her knowledge and guidance. amy is a powerhouse of encouragement. she speaks strength into people when they feel weak, and she pours herself out so generously for those who need it most. honestly, if it weren’t for her presence during labor, i probably would’ve given up halfway through, thinking i’d reached my limit. but her kindness and belief in me helped me push through to the other side + i’ll never forget that. they both deserve the highest praise, + it would be a huge miss if i didn’t take a moment to recognize that. they truly are changing lives one baby at a time by loving people + supporting families in this way. they’ve completely shifted how i view birth, and i’m beyond grateful. i’ll be recommending them to all my friends having babies in the future.
- Elizabeth McClary
I hired Amy and Sarah as soon as I got pregnant even before I found my OBGYN! They are amazing. Their knowledge and guidance helped me make the right decisions for myself and I felt supported and confident throughout my VBAC journey. I can say I had the birth of my dreams and I will definitely work with them for future babies!
- Micaela R
These women are AMAZING! They love their clients and truly change the birth experience to be a positive and empowering one! I would not have had the incredible birth I had without them. Not to mention they take gorgeous pictures of your labor and delivery so you have the memories forever.
- Sarah Heliker
I initially hired Sarah due to her knowledge in "The Bradley Method". I attended her childbirth classes, and learned a lot! After the class, we hired Sarah and Amy to be our birth doulas and to provide postpartum support. They were remarkable. They took photos, provided support, helped dad provide support, and made sure we had everything we needed. The postpartum care also helped tremendously. Sarah and Amy are absolutely amazing. The only thing I would do differently is hire them sooner 😂
- Samantha Routh
I worked with Sarah both before and after giving birth to my most perfect daughter 🥰 It turned out that due to illness and the situation, she had to call in a backup. She felt bad to leave me in someone else’s care, but she chose the best for me and also provided one of the most invaluable services for me that I had undervalued at first: her text support when I was in labor before deciding to go to the hospital! I first texted her at 4am when things started happening and to my surprise got an IMMEDIATE response! I credit this with helping me maintain calm while in early labor and allowing me to arrive at the hospital only 3.5 hours before my daughter was born. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to hire a doula, take the words of my husband who was skeptical and thought this was just all about me…”100% it was worth it! We should have hired a doula earlier when we had our son!”
- Alicia Valdivieso
Amy + Sarah are the best doulas ever! I was lucky enough to be able to have both of them with me during both my births and I couldn’t be more grateful! They will celebrate your victories in pregnancy and postpartum, no matter how smal! They handle any negative situations pregnancy throws to their clients with grace and patience. Super responsive to any - ANY - concerns or questions you might have. The photos you get are also a huge perk! During labor they are supportive as ever, accept you as you are, and feel like family by the end of it! I can’t recommend them enough for any services they provide.
- Ali Lytle
Amy and Sarah were the best! We did the natural birth class with Sarah and Amy ended up coming to our birth. My husband and I appreciated Amy so much! She was a comforting presence and took care of all our needs before we could even ask and helped our birth go so smoothly. The pictures Amy took we're also amazing! I would 100% recommend both of them for your birth experience!!
- Juliana Sanborn
Amy and Sarah are incredible. We’ve used them for 2 births now and they are invaluable to us. The support Amy provided for our VBAC was much needed. The comfort and trust I had with these two on my birth team made my birth experience so smooth.
- Jennifer Summers
Amy and Sarah were a God send for us. They were there for us every step of the way and we had a very very long home labor for a homebirth that ended up in a hospital transfer. They came with us to the hospital and supported us through our entire birth process. They made us feel valued and heard. They came to our house after and helped us process everything we went through as well. And brought brownies! They also took the BEST photos that we will cherish forever. So thankful for this team of amazing women and their knowledge and support for us ❤️
- Alaina Case
Sarah & Amy are wonderful! Sarah was such a constant and a rock for us through having to change providers multiple times. Her support and encouragement during labor was critical to me having the unmedicated, amazing birth experience I was hoping for. Sarah’s birth class also set us up really well by providing critical knowledge of the process. She was amazing to work with and knowing that Sarah and Amy were in my corner supporting me was really fantastic! I highly recommend them!
- Eliza Spertus
Sarah and Amy were incredible to work with. They took time to sit and listen to my previous birth stories and my hopes for my homebirth. I knew right away that I wanted them to help me through labor. Sarah came over to help us prepare and refresh us on labor techniques and even gave us ideas to use specifically within our home. By the time of delivery, I felt like Sarah and Amy were friends and knew that I would be well taken care of. Our baby's birth went smoothly and I will always be grateful for Sarah's support (Literally and figuratively! She was helping hold me up during contractions.) throughout the process.
- Mary Kate Krause
I truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience with Birth & Beyond KC. My husband and I weren’t sure if we wanted a doula but decided to meet with Sarah and Amy to get more information. We walked away from our meeting with them so comfortable and encouraged to move forward with utilizing a doula for our daughter’s birth. They were involved every step of the way as my pregnancy progressed- checking in on me and baby, answering questions, and providing helpful information. Along the way, we did a stages of labor class with Sarah which was incredibly helpful and informative as we prepared for this process. Amy was our doula for the labor/delivery process and I couldn’t have imagined a more smooth, beautiful birth. She was by our side every step of the way, encouraging me (and my husband) through labor, providing wisdom, and helping me relax/change up positions as I prepped for delivery. And to top it off she captured so many beautiful, magical moments on her camera that we will treasure forever! I can’t imagine what our birth journey would have been like without Birth and Beyond KC. We are forever grateful for their services and would highly recommend them to anyone wanting to have an empowering birth experience.
- Heather Hanshaw
Upon my search for a doula I wanted someone with experience, someone who knew how to care for me and could best support my goals for our birth. I had followed Birth and Beyond for a while on social media and knew we had shared values, but after meeting Sarah and Amy the decision was so easy. These ladies checked on me several times throughout my pregnancy, and even supported me through a massive unexpected change in my birth plans. They took the time to ensure that I had the knowledge I needed to make my own informed decision. Our birth was nothing short of incredible. Sarah ended up being the one with us and her encouragement was exactly what I needed to get through the hardest part. Who you have with you, their voice, and their beliefs matter in labor. Make sure whoever it is believes in you and believes in the birth process. I would hire these two again and again to support me. p.s. getting photos of your labor, birth and fresh postpartum moments is a priceless perk!
- Kaela Eisenbarger
Sarah was integral in our homebirth process. My family is originally from Kansas City, and since moved remote. We were able to do classes via zoom for our first daughter in 2021 during COVID. The delivery went incredible. We are currently awaiting the birth of our second son with these same methods. You certainly don’t remember everything in class. There is a ton of great info. What it helped me with as a husband- Techniques to be helpful to my wife during labor, what to have on hand, and to not freak out when natural things are occurring during a natural process. This in turn helped my wife receive more support and comfort during her birth. Then our baby in turned received great conditions of birth, It’s all symbiotic. My wife started the cycle by suggestion this method, which I never imagined we would originally do, and very glad we did. Thank you
- Jackson Haney
Sarah and Amy are awesome!! My husband and I took Sarah’s birthing class which was super informative and helped us weigh our birth options. About 7 weeks before I gave birth I switched from a hospital to home birth and Sarah and Amy really helped me weigh my options and make an informed decision. Sarah was my doula for our home birth and I couldn’t have gotten through labor without her. It was super helpful have Sarah there, she was super positive and coached me through the most intense part of my labor. Definitely recommend Sarah and Amy to anyone considering a doula!!
- Chloe Webb
Wow, I don’t know where to begin!! Sarah and Amy are amazing. When we found out we were pregnant I played with the idea of having a doula but didn’t know if we could afford having one, but my heart never felt at peace when we didn’t have one. The moment I met with Sarah and Amy I knew I wanted them in my corner, I felt at peace and I knew they would advocate for me and help us navigate our first experience with a natural birth. My birth did not happen the way I dreamed it would, and having Amy and Sarah’s support was exactly what we needed. Amy showed my husband and my mom how to help me through my contractions and what the nexts steps were when my labor stalled. After the birth of our daughter we talked about what a true blessing Amy was to have in the room with us, supporting us and caring for us. A week after birth my husband said that was the BEST investment we made in preparing for the birth of our child! We are HUGE fans of Birth and Beyond KC and if we are blessed with another child we will have Birth and Beyond in our corner!
- Hannah Burgess
These ladies are the most wonderful people to have on a birth team. They are knowledgeable, kind, caring, and make your birth space feel so comfortable and calm. I wish I could have had them at all of my births! I would recommend them to anyone who is pregnant in the Kansas City area, even if it isn’t your first birth. Hire these ladies!
- Morganne Welhoff
Sarah and Amy are incredible doulas in the Kansas City area! We took Sarah’s natural childbirth classes and loved her deep knowledge and positive, easygoing energy. We met Amy at one of the classes and loved her too. We booked both of them to help with my pregnancy and in the labor/birth of our first child this November. They were such a huge help. They guided me and my husband through it all and provided everything from non-stop counter-pressure and encouragement to fresh ideas to keep labor progressing. They even took photos to document the whole labor/birth process. No matter how long it took, they stuck with us through to the end. Their package also includes a post-partum visit to help answer any questions, help around the house, and bring you a homemade birthday treat for your little one. We can’t recommend them enough!
- Caroline Young
I am so grateful to Amy and Sarah for making my birth experience an empowering one. I was well supported the entire time. Amy knew just what positions would help with labor progression and comfort. I highly recommend Birth and Beyond KC!! 💜
- Rebecca H
We had an awesome experience with Sarah and Amy! Amy was with us at our birth and worked TIRELESSLY to help us with a long delivery. We felt so supported and cheered on by her. I’m so thankful Amy was there, not only for the birth, but days afterward to help me process all that had happened. She also gifted us beautiful photos that are now priceless to us. We felt so blessed to have them on our team as we welcomed our little one.
- Stephanie Patton
I had my first baby about a year ago with these ladies help. When I got pregnant I knew that I wanted a natural childbirth but felt more comfortable with having the baby at the hospital. Sarah and Amy were so helpful all along the way. Being first-time parents, I was so thankful for the classes they offered and the many questions they answered. I always felt free to make my own decisions and felt they supported me very well throughout. One of the biggest reason I wanted a doula was for my husband. I knew that he would want to help when I went into labor but likely wouldn't know how to help. Sarah and Amy did a great job of showing him how to help me and I think my labor and delivery was overall a wonderful experience. The methods they used to help me cope with the pain and move the baby down worked beautifully. I truly never felt that I needed and epidural and my labor was only about 10 hrs which I thought was wonderful for my first time. Everyone's Labor is different but I honestly think Sarah and Amy impacted my birth is such a positive way. I suggest them to all my friends and plan to use them again if we ever have another!
- Christy Goff
Sarah and Amy were a huge blessing to have at our birth! I really feel like with their support and coaching of me and my husband that I got to have that empowering "I am woman hear me roar" moment with birth. They helped us achieve a natural birth like we wanted, and they were with us every step of the way before and after birth to answer any questions, and I mean any questions, like is this the proper way to put my kid in the baby swing, questions about breastfeeding, in addition to all our questions about birth. Highly recommend!
- Mindy Castle
I highly recommend Sarah and Amy! After experiencing severe femoral nerve damage during my first childbirth I knew I wanted a doula for my second baby, and I am so thankful that I found Birth and Beyond KC! The effort they put into learning about my history made me so feel calm and confident, and I didn’t have any repeat nerve damage!! Their support during and after labor, for both me and my husband, was absolutely amazing. They were always there to answer or help guide us through questions, helped give me time during labor to consider decisions, and provided some crucial reminders which helped me advocate for myself and get the best out of my labor and delivery experience!
- Amanda Keen
I'm glad my wife and I found Sara. From the classes she gave us to the follow ups after our daughter arrived, she was the best! Honest, open, fun, experienced!
- Tucker Gourneau
Sarah was a joy to work with! She was our doula with our first baby and I can’t imagine our birth without her. She went above and beyond to serve our family! She’s also calm, knowledgeable, kind, and thoughtful! Highly recommend if you’re on the fence.
- Paulina Colton
Sarah and Amy have been apart of both of my pregnancies and births. Having Sarah as our doula brought my husband and I so much comfort and peace. Her knowledge and genuine love for her work are evident and are what make her such an amazing doula and birth educator
- Madison Wilcox
Sarah and Amy are amazing and words fail to adequately express how grateful we are for the beautiful support they provide. We were lucky to have them on our team from very early in pregnancy and they were a great resource throughout. They answered questions, helped educate us, and even came to our house for a personal birth class to talk about the best ways to labor at our home! They helped us to feel confident and prepared throughout the whole process. Having them on our team was so beneficial and they provided so much emotional and physical support throughout labor and birth. Our hospital birth experience would not have been the same without Sarah and Amy. We are so grateful for them!
- Abby Corkery
I used Birth and Beyond for my first birth at home. Wonderful experience. Sarah was very encouraging and full of affirmations. She was always right there to help me thru contractions with hip squeezes or whatever I needed! They were always quick to answer texts and offer advice for all my questions. They even bring you a cake for your post partum visit 😀
- Kaitlyn Kesten
Amy and Sarah were instrumental to making my birth with my second son a VBAC! My first birth experience was pretty traumatic so I hired Birth and Beyond to hopefully make my second birth a redeeming experience and boy was it! My husband said we are never going through labor without them ever again! Amy was in the room with me and even helped me labor at home for awhile and she helped me with different labor positions, constant support and encroachment and made sure my birth plan was followed. She truly went above and beyond and I will always feel grateful and blessed that she was a part of my birth story. Look no further, these are the doulas for you! The best investment you can make.
- Katherine Huber
Amy and Sarah are incredible. This was my second child and I wish I would have known about them sooner! They are fully supportive of whatever birthing plan you choose for yourself and will help navigate the process with you hand in hand. They are prompt, communicate well, and have many years of experience. My husband was unsure of a doula initially but through Amys support and guidance in the delivery room, he felt more involved and confident during delivery.
- Lindsay Lad
I was so skeptical about what a Doula realistically would be able to do to help me with my first birth. I am so glad that Sarah was there to lend a hand and provided so much reassurance, comfort and rest in one of the most difficult but rewarding times of my life. A doula can do so much more than you can imagine to help you! Highly recommend all services offered by Sarah and Amy.
- Jaimie Huff
As the husband, if I’m being honest, I was unsure about the doula thing at first. We had three kids without one so it was hard to see the need. But from the first time meeting Amy and Sarah I knew it was the perfect fit. Every meeting leading up to the birth of our little girl was great. Sarah and Amy were helpful and supportive in preparing us for the birth we were hoping to have. At the birth, Amy was so incredible. She was amazingly supportive of my wife. Her support in doing whatever needed, empowered me to being the best support I could be for my wife throughout the labor and delivery. Even when there was a complication, Amy helped guide us both in that moment and things went beautifully. I would 100 percent recommend them to anyone looking for doula care In the KC area.
- Mario Cancilla
Sarah is so amazing! Her experience and knowledge about the birth process and beyond is truly a gift. She has been in the room during two of my unmedicated births and she knew exactly how to support and help advocate for me to have the best experience possible.
- Kelley Enzweiler
Sarah was so great and helpful at our home birth. We loved how encouraging she was for both my husband and myself. It felt really good to have support during the large part of the labor when my midwife was not there. Sarah is still our friend now and we loved how she incorporated her family into our birthing classes and conversations.
- Caroline Kasitz
Sarah & Amy are amazing and I would (and have!!) highly recommend them to anyone looking for a doula. Even just our "get to know you" conversation was incredibly helpful for me, leaving me much more calm, confident and excited to give birth, rather than feeling anxious and nervous. My husband and I were extremely grateful for their support in learning how to advocate for ourselves in a hospital setting. Amy was my primary support & truly empowered me to have a redeeming VBAC experience. I am especially appreciative of their PP follow up that provided space for me to process the birthing experience and my own adjustment to a new stage of motherhood. I would absolutely give more than 5 stars if I could!
- Katrina Schmitz
Incredible people providing incredible support! Call them now!!
- Nicole Catanzano
Sarah is AMAZING. She knows her stuff, is such a calming and soothing presence, and gave me and my husband SO much confidence going into a natural, home birth. Working with her has been a gift and I would HIGHLY recommend her services to any expecting family that prefers a natural approach to child birth.
- Rebekah Stever
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