This is going to be a long review, but the short version is that Patience is everything I could have ever wanted in a doula. One of the biggest blessings in our birth experience was having her there. She went above and beyond in every way for us.
-She provided support, encouragement, and education during my pregnancy
-She listened to my husband’s questions and desires, including his desire to catch baby. She spent over 30 minutes in one of our prenatal appointments rehearsing how to catch baby from different birthing positions so that he would feel comfortable and confident
-During my labor at home, she was a calm and intuitive presence, knowing exactly when to be hands-off and when to help me. She made sure I stayed hydrated and nourished by cooking food and feeding me and offering liquids between contractions. She encouraged and uplifted me during a 55 hour labor that was long and grueling.
-When we could not get rid of my cervical lip at home, she transferred to the hospital with us. She knew what hospital could give us the closest thing to the birth experience that we wanted. She even packed my hospital bag for me and made sure we had everything from phone chargers to food to baby clothes.
-Even though she was exhausted and sleep deprived too, she came straight to the hospital and was waiting for us in the delivery room when we got through triage
-She was comfortable and confident advocating for my/our wants and needs with the hospital staff. And she could do that so well because she’d taken the time to really get to know us and help us plan the birth we desired and was intimately familiar with what we wanted.
-She quickly developed a relationship with my mom who met us at the hospital, and when the staff made my mom leave the room, Patience kept her updated over the next few hours (with our permission of course) so that she wouldn’t worry and so that my husband could focus solely on me.
-Throughout my labor at home and my labor/delivery at the hospital, Patience quietly took professional-quality photos of some beautiful and sacred moments that we will treasure always.
-She stayed after baby was born for quite a while and made sure we were settled in and taken care of before she left.
-I had an unexpectedly difficult postpartum health-wise and Patience was there throughout (long past when her contract ended), providing support, asking after my wellbeing, doing research, offering suggestions, sending reminders, and always sending encouragement.
-At my postpartum visit with her, she brought us sweet and thoughtful gifts, including an umbilical cord keepsake and colored prints of my placenta
-She encapsulated my placenta for me and did a fantastic job, even down to the detail of using vegetarian capsules due to my health issues. She also makes delicious NORA tea that I drank in my 3rd trimester and postpartum - highly recommend. (I tried another popular brand and it tasted like grass.)
There are a million more examples and details I could give you of the way that Patience took care of us so perfectly. I would recommend her to anyone and we will be hiring her again if we are blessed to be able to grow our family further. I am happy to discuss my experience in more detail and/or answer any questions for families considering hiring her!
- Maria M.