Tonya Schieler Birth Doula in Antioch, IL

Tonya exceeded my expectations! From prior to birth, during labor and delivery, and during the post partum phase she has been very helpful. Without her, I think I would have needed additional interventions during labor and would not have had a positive experience. prior to birth: As part of the doula package, Tonya made one home visit where she stayed for at least 2 hours and patiently answered my long list of questions. During my last 1-2 weeks of pregnancy, I had several days of false labor and could not sleep well. This was both emotionally and physically draining. Tonya was there for me during this time by providing emotional support, as well as guidance on what signs to look for that may indicate true labor. labor and delivery: My labor was 36 hours long, including 4.5 hours of pushing. Tonya stayed with me and my partner the entire time. She alternated with my husband in providing relief during contractions, by providing back massage or the double hip squeeze. Decisions I had to consider during labor included breaking my water bag, when to get the epidural, to get narcotics, to get induced, etc. Tonya helped me weigh the pros and cons of all decisions and made both my partner and I feel more informed during the process. She is very intuitive and stepped away if I asked for space and readily jumped in when needed. She encouraged my husband to take breaks and sleep, as he tends to push himself even when fatigued. post partum: Tonya made a home visit which was very helpful and has been available by text. She is a great resource to have, is kind, and has great people skills! Both my husband and I believe that we would have been more stressed without her and things would not have gone as well. Although my labor and pushing phase were long, I successfully had a vaginal birth without needing instrument assistance. I highly recommend Tonya and would book her again in a heartbeat!

— Amena

I wanted a natural childbirth without medication intervention in a hospital setting more than anything, thanks to Tonya, that dream became a reality. Tonya was there for me since the beginning as a natural nuturing mama who took care of me as one of her own. Her presence is very calming. She is a gentle kind-hearted person who is available, methodical, reasonable, and in your corner. She took the time to understand my birth plan thoroughly, helping me develop it, too. Tonya was the advocate I dreamt of throughout the entire process, and especially in the hospital when it counted the most. She did well navigating the medical setting and my overbearring mother's personality. Her experience was on full display throughout my entire strenuous 2-day labor process. You can count on her to show up and be there when it counts. I could not have had a natural labor without her by my side through the active back labor I experienced. She had a good technique to help with pain management. It was really great to have someone there exclusively for me who was knowledgeable about birth. A husband or partner cannot support you in that way unless they're an expert, and the medical staff has other priorities like charting and other patients. Her rate is reasonable for the services she provides. I think if you pay more you are paying for frills that weren't a priority to me. I don't need someone to shower me with treats, etc. I needed someone I could count on and I got more than that. I had someone in my corner who understood my needs and showed up and got the important job done! Tonya was also my post-partum doula. She got everything done I needed and went above and beyond. She was caring throughout, downtoearth, warm, and affectionate. I never felt judged in my home. I was always comfortable around her. She is great with my daughter. I liked how she was interested in staying connected with her in the future with updates, etc. You are lucky if you get to have Tonya as your doula!

— Jessica B.

We worked with Tonya over the first two months following our son's birth. She was an absolute joy to have around and we already miss having her here! She not only took wonderful care of our son but helped with so much around the house including laundry, dishes, cleaning up etc. It was great to be able to get a full nights sleep and wake up knowing everything around the house was already done. She eased the burden of those first newborn weeks and allowed us the opportunity to just be able to hang out with our son during the day and not have to worry about getting anything else done. I would 100% recommend her to anyone with a new baby! Even though she was only with us for a short time, she quickly became a part of our family and we are so thankful our paths crossed!

— Andrea

I really enjoyed working with Tonya as my doula. She is very responsive and professional. She was able to give me solid advice and send me references to things I had questions about during my pregnancy. Tonya was able to attend my birth and it was great having her there assisting me along with my husband. She even took photos for us after the birth so we could treasure those memories. I would absolutely recommend working with her if you are looking for a doula.

— Krista Brea

Halfway through my pregnancy with my first I decided I needed a doula. Covid had recently become a concern and I wasn’t feeling super comfortable with my OB group. Between concerns at the hospital and making sure my preferences were actually heard, I felt having someone as an advocate for me and to support my husband (especially since this was our first go-round) would help alleviate some of the stress. I found Tonya on the DoulaMatch site and reached out to her. We set up a time for a call (usually she does in person interviews, but Covid…), and immediately I knew I wanted her at my birth. I ended up leaving my OB and switching to midwives, referred by Tonya. Also exactly what I was looking for. Throughout my pregnancy, Tonya would check in to see how I was doing. We had a few in person meetings closer to my birth date to review my plan more, and to practice Hypnobabies techniques. The days leading up to my due date and after (I went until 41+6) Tonya was readily available for support and any questions I had. Unfortunately, I ended up having to have a C-section due to severely low fluid and babe turning breech a few days prior; but Tonya was still able to accompany us to the hospital. She waited while I was operated on even though they wouldn’t let her in the OR, or the Post-Op room. When I was able to return home Tonya did a follow up and we spent time talking about my birth experience, how I felt about it all, and how things were going with my son. Although things went vastly different for me than I would have expected or hoped, I couldn’t imagine not having Tonya be a part of it. That added support was priceless to me, and I am so thankful to her for that. Tonya is super kind, caring and supportive of whatever your wishes are. She is knowledgeable, but nonjudgmental or pushy. I highly recommend hiring Tonya as a doula; and I plan to do so myself again for future pregnancies!

— Lauren E.

I was nervous about labor and delivery throughout my pregnancy. We decided pretty early on that we wanted to find a doula so we would have someone we trusted there with us. Tonya was just that and more - she offered ideas for relief and support in the weeks leading up to my son's birth, and was always just a text or phone call away through several weeks of false labor. Hiring a doula was the best decision I made in my pregnancy, and I think a big reason i say that is because Tonya was a good fit for my husband and me.

— Sarah

From the moment Tonya arrived at the birth of my third child, I felt more relaxed and at ease. Her calm and supportive presence helped me to move through the difficulties of transition and achieve the home birth experience I was hoping for. And her kindness and care in the weeks that followed were so appreciated. Tonya is an amazing doula who puts her whole heart into her work, and I highly recommend her!

— Leah

I had a great experience with Tonya; she is a very gifted doula. If you're considering using a doula for your birth - definitely do it! She attended my second birth, first with a doula. We met several times prior to the birth and she was always very available by phone or email for my questions. Tonya has a very calm, confident, and loving demeanor which was wonderful during labor. She helped me stay comfortable and focused, which allowed me to labor at home as long as possible. She also was great with my husband and family as well. I had a stressful postpartum period and Tonya continued to be a great practical and spiritual support during that difficult time. Overall, I highly recommend Tonya as a doula and a wonderful person. I will 100% be calling her for #3!

— Ingrid C.

My labor lasted 33 hours and our baby, Peter, was born with a heart complication that required him to be immediately taken to the NICU and then later that evening to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. My husband and I don’t think I would have been able to have a vaginal birth after that intense of a labor without Tonya and that we would also have had significant trauma and tension in our marriage to overcome if we had labored and gone through this experience without her. Tonya also proved invaluable to me in the weeks following Peter’s birth as I struggled with post-labor health issues and supported me physically, emotionally, and spiritually through my whole birth journey. I am already highly recommending her to any friends who are pregnant and plan to hire her for any future pregnancies.

— Catherine Denney