Below are some of the services that we offer. To meet the women who work in a collaborative effort as independent contractors with Labor of Love, click on Meet Us.

Sometimes people ask if they don't take the childbirth class, could they benefit from labor doula services. The services are separate entities and offer benefits alone or in conjunction with other services. So, if you are taking classes elsewhere but are interested in labor doula services, let us know. If you are desiring a postpartum doula, but do not want any prenatal services, that is also fine. View these services separately or in combination, whatever works for you and your needs.

Labor Doula Services
Childbirth Education and More Classes
Antepartum and Postpartum Doula Services
Lactation Services
Belly Casting/Maternity Photography

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Our Labor Doula Services:

We are available for unlimited telephone and email support throughout pregnancy.

•   We offer prenatal meetings- one minimum, usually two to discuss your birth ideals and to get to know each other more.

 

.   We provide unlimited labor support- one fee no matter how long your labor may be. Usually we will attend you during early labor in your home, depending on location and distance to the hospital.

 

.   We offer massage, guided imagery, some reflexology, position suggestions, and guidance during labor.

 

.   We take photographs and write a birth story or timeline for your review after the birth.

 

.   We stay an hour or so after the birth to assist with breastfeeding. Most of our doulas have personal breastfeeding experience to share with you in helping you initiate breastfeed successfully. We offer a postpartum meeting to help you with any problems and for the doula to see "her baby," once you are ready to get out and about.

 

.   We back each other up in case of an emergency that does not allow us to attend your birth, but you choose your primary doula.

Our labor doula fees range from $475 for less experienced doulas to $675 for a more experienced doula and are all inclusive of the services above. To see more about our fees, click here. A fee is paid by an initial retainer of $200 and the balance being due two weeks before your due date. We also offer payment plans and never want our fee to discourage your use of one of our doulas. Contact Teresa for an agreement to be sent to you via email.

How do you hire a doula? Email Teresa or call her. She will send you an informational packet to review. You can then have a phone interview with any and all of the doulas whose profiles interest you. Their phone numbers are in the packet. You can then set up interviews with the doulas who you feel best meets your needs. At the interview you may choose to hire a doula. Or you may choose to attend a Meet the Doula Tea to meet us all in person and hear us talk about our full list of services. Many times couples hire a doula at the tea that best meets their needs.

After hiring a doula, you will be in contact with her- via emails and phone calls initiated by you as you have needs. By around the 36th week, you will set up your prenatal(s) to discuss what birth options you have considered for your labor and birth. Your doula is available for questions and non medical concerns along the journey of your pregnancy, labor, birth and afterwards. The labor doula agreement will outline our complete services.

Read about our apprentice program here.

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Childbirth Education and More Classes

See the Classes and Events page for more information on the many classes we offer.

How do you sign up for classes?Contact Teresa either via email or a phone call. She will send you an informational packet. The list of classes and dates are included as well as the agreement for you to send back in with payment for any classes you are interested in attending. Once that agreement is in our office, you are officially enrolled in the classes of your choice. The agreement will outline our complete services.

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Antepartum and Postpartum Doula Services:

Antepartum or postpartum doulas are "mother's helpers." Their role is to "mother the mother." For women who are restricted to bed rest before the baby comes, assistance may be needed. And many times our own mothers cannot come to us after a birth. Or perhaps they can only come for a short time to help us during the adjustment period. A postpartum doula acts as the person who fills in at this time.

She is knowledgeable about bed rest situations, new babies, breastfeeding, newborn care and learning to meet your baby's needs as well as your needs. You may need education before the baby arrives and she can offer this or assist you in arranging to have an educator come to offer private classes while you are on bedrest. She can assist you in learning how to bathe, massage, feed, and care for the baby. She knows comfort measures and safety issues as well as swaddling and more.

In the antepartum period, her job is to take care of the needs of the mom who is restricted in the activities that most moms are able to accomplish. After the baby comes, the postpartum doula does not take over the care of the baby. Her job is to help the new mom to learn how to do this herself. Although, during naps she will take care of the infant so you can get those much needed naps.

She also takes care of the mom. Doulas do light housekeeping, errand running and cooking. Her role is to help make this waiting period for the anticipating mom and the adjustment period after the baby's arrival, one that will be as smooth as possible.

A list of things an antepartum and postpartum doula may do is:

• provide emotional support
• help parent infant bonding
• assist and demonstrate infant care
• provide relaxation
• accompany mother and baby to appointments and outings
• take care of household tasks
• prepare nutritious meals and snacks
• listen and honor your birth experience
• support and encourage new parents
• help and teach feeding techniques
• provide encouragement and support for breastfeeding
• help tend to and support siblings of the new baby
• provide comfort measures and light massage
• answer phone calls and field visitors
• provide mother with freedom and help
• run errands and shopping as needed
• cleans dishes, tidies the home- doing minor chores &laundry
• respects your confidentiality

How do you hire a postpartum doula? Email Teresa or call her. She will send you an informational packet to review. You can then have a phone interview with any and all of the doulas whose profiles interest you. Their phone numbers are in the packet. You can then set up interviews with the doulas who you feel best meets your needs. At the interview you may choose to hire a doula. Or you may choose to attend a Meet the Doula Tea to meet us all in person and hear us talk about our full list of services. Many times couples hire a doula at the tea that best meets their needs.

After you have chosen your doula and paid half of the initial ten hours for postpartum, we wait til you have your baby! Then after the birth of your new baby, you call your doula and let her know when you will be wanting to have her come to you're your needs after your arrival home. The postpartum doula agreement will outline our complete services.

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Lactation Services:

We also have certified lactation educators who can assist in less critical ways to help get breastfeeding off to a good start. They will also come to your home to offer help in latching the baby and good positions with guidance in the basics of breastfeeding.

We also have a few certified lactation consultants available to assist in this area. They are trained and specialize in helping to get a mom and baby nursing happily. They come to your home for an initial visit to help ascertain how to best help you establish a wonderful nursing relationship with your new baby. This initial visit allows some follow ups by phone and if additional appointments are needed they can be determined from there. They are available for more extensive help beyond the basics.

How do you enlist lactation services?Call Teresa and she will ascertain if your needs require the expertise of an IBCLC or a lactation educator. She may be able to help you over the phone with some basic concerns that may be all you need. If you need more assistance, she will give you the names of those who may be able to assist you.

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Belly Casting and Photography:

Teresa began doing belly casting with some of her clients for fun and for a memorial of their pregnant profiles! But over time the artistic side of her came to find it enjoyable and something more people were interested in doing. So, it has been added to the list of services we offer.

Preserve a memory of your belly when it was about to bear the fruit of your child in an artful form! A basic casting can be provided, a casting and full decoration of the finished cast can also be done. Take a look at some of our castings by clicking on the image at the left of this paragraph.

Tracey Bond and Julie Moon offer pregnancy and maternity photography services. The prices depend on location and what services you desire. Tracey's website is www.lotusrainphotography.com and Julie's is www.juliemoonphotography.com.

If you are interested in scheduling a belly casting, maternity photo shoot, or would like to discuss the idea more with me, contact me at teresa@alaboroflove.org . Or call me at 770-923-6914. Thanks!

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