My husband and I hired Natasha after she was referred to us by a coworker. This was my first pregnancy/labor/delivery and I was initially unsure about whether I even wanted to hire a doula. I questioned whether it was excessive or an unnecessary expense. I also wasn't sure how it would feel to have someone I barely knew be present during some of the most intimate and vulnerable hours of my life. I am now almost 1 month postpartum and looking back I can say without hesitation that hiring Natasha was one of the best decisions I made related to my pregnancy and childbirth.
Throughout my pregnancy I felt routinely unsupported by my OBGYN and was often made to feel rushed or that I was asking stupid questions during my OB appointments. Our first meeting with Natasha was such a breath of fresh air! She provided a free consultation so we could get to know her and patiently answered all of our many questions. One of the things that truly separates Natasha from other doulas is her background as both a labor and delivery nurse, a midwife, and a pre/postnatal yoga instructor. This woman has some serious experience with the birthing process! She is chock-full of useful information and was able to explain medical aspects of my pregnancy that my OB never took the time to do. She was incredibly thorough and gave us a useful packet in our first appointment that included information about what to expect during labor/delivery and how to prepare (e.g., what to pack for the big day, how to save time checking in at the hospital, what kind of decisions we may need to make during delivery, etc). She also had such a lovely, laid-back presence that was neither overbearing or too passive. I was sold!
My daughter ended up arriving 3.5 weeks early and I was so glad to have Natasha to text that day and ask if the contractions I was experiencing were the real deal. She was able give me some pointers on how to differentiate between early signs of labor and the Braxton Hicks contractions I had been getting fairly frequently at that point. I was so relieved when she arrived at our apartment and helped me find positions and utilize breathing techniques that made my contractions significantly more manageable. I thought I would be able to use my knowledge of paced breathing to successfully manage the pain on my own, but I definitely needed her there! I was in so much pain that I was having trouble thinking straight and when Natasha arrived she just took over and immediately made both my husband and me feel like we had someone there who knew exactly what to do. She also helped us to know when to go to the hospital so that we would be admitted (4cm dilated) rather than told to go back home and was a huge advocate for me once I was checked into labor and delivery. She explained everything that was going on to me (something the doctors/nurses just don't seem to have time to do), was key in getting the anesthesiologist to arrive as quickly as possible for the epidural, and continued to help me with breathing/positions until the meds kicked in and my daughter arrived! She worked seamlessly with the hospital providers and seemed to know when to speak up/ask questions vs. when to just let them do their thing. She was also lovely to have around my family and again seemed to know how to interact with everyone and put people at ease. I did not end up feeling awkward or uncomfortable at all having her present during the delivery process- just grateful for her support, knowledge, and encouragement!
After the delivery, Natasha followed up with us to help us give my daughter her first bath, answer many, many breastfeeding questions, and just generally continue to provide wisdom and support. Hiring Natasha was worth every penny and I would hire her again in a heartbeat for future labor/deliveries. If you want a doula who is the whole package (e.g., reliable, a calming presence, insanely knowledgeable on ALL aspects of labor/delivery), then don't hesitate to contact Natasha! read more