Phone: (804) 382-8222 Type of Practice: Solo practice Clients per Month: 1 to 4 births and 1 to 2 postpartum families Birth and Postpartum Doula Birth Doula Experience: 15 years and 180 births attended Postpartum Doula Experience: 10 years and 26 families served Area of practice: Richmond, VA Travel range: 60 miles Travel comments/restrictions: extensive out of town travel may require additional fee for gas expenditure Languages spoken: English
Specific certifications for the above:
Breastfeeding Certifications
breastfeeding consultant/counselor
Childbirth Educator Certifications
ICAN of Richmond leader
Other Credentials
Neonatal Resuscitation Certified (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Reiki Practitioner
also a monitrice and midwifery intern taking home birth clients
College Education
BA/BS
Specialized training or previous experience:
Over 40
Families conceiving with ART and IVF
VBAC
Home Birth
Multiples
Clients on bed rest
LGBTQ Families
Adoption
Relinquishing mothers
Special needs babies
Prematurity
Twins
Postpartum mood disorders
High risk
Single parents
Cesarean birth
Waterbirth
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse
Special services available:
TENS units rental
Birth Pool rental
Acupressure and/or acupuncture in labor
Monitrice services
Parenting consulting
Baby-led weaning
Antepartum doula
Relevant volunteer or advocacy work: ALACE and DONA trained birth doula, CAPPA trained postpartum doula, currently midwifery student with National Midwifery Institute, ICAN of Richmond leader; member of MANA, CMA, bridgeclub, also offering monitrice services to women who want a natural birth and supervised midwifery intern services for home births.
Postpartum limits/restrictions: 4 week minimum-20 hours 1st week, the rest is negotiable, not available on Tuesdays
Attends hospital births? All Hospitals have worked with many local OBs and have supported women having c-section births in the OR, will come to your house in early labor until you are ready to go to the hospital, will teach you about optimal fetal positioning Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers as doula, monitrice, and birth assistant Attends home births? Any Home Birth can act as monitrice, midwives assistant, or senior midwifery intern under supervision from a LM or OB
Birth doula fee: $350 to $1000 Postpartum doula hourly rate: $20 to $25 Fee details: I am open to bartering and other arrangements to help you pay the fees by your 3rd month postpartum. $300 deposit is non-refundable. Lower fees are reserved for repeat clients. New client fee start at $700. Higher fees are for couples wishing to have monitrice services where I can monitor the mother and baby as well as assess dilation. Call for fees for home birth.
Client Testimonials for Mary Callender
Rhonda Burch
I just wanted to sing the praises of Mary Callender. She was our Doula for the birth of our first child and Mary was just simply fantastic. We had a "pure" birth, no interventions whatsoever and I could not have done it without Mary. She was very helpful to me and my husband in preparing us for pure birth through education, pain management techniques and overall support of the process of child birth. Mary listened to our birth wishes and helped us fulfill our birth plan. If we have a second child she will be our Doula again!
I just wanted to sing the praises of Mary Callender. She was our Doula for the birth of our first child and Mary was just simply fantastic. We had a "pure" birth, no interventions whatsoever and I could not have done it without Mary. She was very helpful to me and my husband in preparing us for pure birth through education, pain management techniques and overall support of the process of child birth. Mary listened to our birth wishes and helped us fulfill our birth plan. If we have a second child she will be our Doula again!