Melanie Pool CD(DONA) - Beautiful Birth Doula Services

I knew from the moment I met Melanie that she was the doula for me. She has a very sincere and radiant personality. Throughout my pregnancy she helped find information I was seeking and was always there to answer questions or just to lend an ear. My birthing experience was amazing and she helped me stay relaxed, focused and confident (as well as my husband). I am very thankful to have had her as my doula and share such a special moment with us.

Posted 2/9/2012

Mel really made it possible for me to have the natural birth I wanted, and we had a healthy baby boy three weeks ago. My husband and my sister also assisted me, and they both thought her support was invaluable, too. Melanie had great ideas to make sure labor was progressing. She, my husband and I went and walked at the mall in early labor, and she even had me crawling around our living room floor later on. She made sure I ate and drank, even when I didn't want to, so I had energy left to push later on. I did give birth in a hospital, and Melanie was great when we got there, too. She is a cheerful, upbeat presence, and the doctor and nurses liked her. It was very important to me to have a doula who was respectful of everyone's role in the birth process, and Melanie truly was. Prior to the birth, Melanie was wonderful about answering our questions and keeping the lines of communication open. Post birth, she did the same. She is just a knowledgeable, positive presence and was everything I was looking for in a doula. I highly recommend her!

Posted 7/18/2011

Delivery with a Doula: A Dad's Perspective

by Everardo Pedraza, M.A.
 

Doula's Help with Mom's Delivery

On the weeks leading up to Nora's delivery of our baby girl, Melanie had regular sessions with both of us in our home, going over what to expect, clarifying expectation as well as providing educational material such as books and DVD's that we borrowed. The regular meetings were very helpful in strengthening the positive rapport that we had initiated in our first meeting, and we got to know each other on a more personal level, which made our working together during the actual delivery a more harmonious experience. My wife spent over 65 hours in labor and during that time, I must admit, that while my wife was certainly tired, I too was fatigued. When contractions started, Melanie came to our home and guided my wife through various coping methods and a variety of positions to facilitate labor. As the hours of pre-labor and labor stretched out, Melanie was here for us, in our home, guiding us through it all. We wanted to do most of the labor at home so as to avoid the complications, time pressures that hospitals often place on pregnant mothers which lead to medications and often c-sections. Having Melanie there was immensely helpful as I was able to take intermittent power naps and then bounce back refreshed to companion my wife through the birthing process. I was amazed and will forever be deeply grateful to Melanie for her warrior-like spirit tempered with deep compassion and love.

 

 

Posted 7/11/2011

I contacted Melanie after I found out I was pregnant with our second baby. She was so kind on the phone when we first talked and immediately made me feel at ease. I knew she was the one I wanted coaching my husband and I through this birth! I told her I preferred to have a med-free birth this time, and she was awesome about providing resources to help us research and learn as much as possible. During our visits, she would listen to any fears or concerns I had, helping me work through them. When the day finally came, two weeks before my due date, things went very quickly. Melanie was very calm and supportive on the phone as my husband I were driving to the hospital. My contractions picked up at such a fast pace that we decided I wasn't going to make it to my planned hospital on time. She knew of a small hospital nearby and gave my husband directions over the phone. We had our baby only 25 minutes after arriving! Melanie made in time for the birth, and it was invaluable to have support from both her and my husband as our baby boy came into this world! She took photos right after the birth of the first moments with our little miracle, and I LOVE those pictures. Melanie was so wonderful and I would recommend her to anyone wanting a doula!

Posted 7/2/2011

Having a doula, especially Melanie, was such a treat!  She was such a source of good information and wonderful support throughout my last trimester.  I really appreciate her calming personality and uplifting spirit.  She was just what I needed throughout all the pre-natal and post-natal visits and of course the delivery!  When I was doubting myself during delivery I could look at her and ask for a reliable opinion and felt comfort in knowing what she told me was in baby and I's best interest.  Also, Melanie was very helpful with enabling me to properly breastfeed, including hands-on help in the hospital, during post-natal visits and even before delivery with helping me attend educational classes so I could reach  my goal of successful breastfeeding.  I would highly recommend Melanie Pool as a great help and support to every pregnant woman out there!

Posted 6/29/2011

I truly gained a friend through my expierence with Melanie. She made it possible to have a doula by offering a trade-work option as payment for her services. She recommended lamaze classes from an amazing instructor who reduced the class fee 50% if you had a doula. She rented books that she thought I would be interested in regarding natural birth and gave me a long list of wonderful resources. She really took the time to get to know me and my wishes for birth. During my labor she offered a calm and constant support to not only me, but my husband as well. She was my voice when I was consumed by the chaos of doctors, nurses, and questions. I didnt have to worry about forgetting anything because she was right there advocating for the things I wanted as I forgot what they were during labor and directly there after. Natural birth demands your full attention so I was a bit pre-occupied! She made sure I was comfortable and taken care of. She even stayed longer than she had to after the birth. She checked on me a total of three times after the birth, offering post-partum mending and engorgemnt advice. She brought me soup, leg and foot cream (she even gave me a foot massage), herbal tea for my bath to help heal the perineum, a breast feeding meditation cd, and mothers milk tea. Although our journey together has ended, she remains a good friend and has left her door wide open to me as someone I can turn to. I would reccomend her to anyone and in fact a friend of mine has chosen to go with Melanie for her birth as well! She is so passionate about birth and devoted to the birthing community. With four kids, I dont know how she does it! She is awesome.

Posted 3/9/2011

Melanie was awesome! I love how she did not put a limit on how many times we were able to meet. It really felt like she was a close friend there for me, not just a someone hired to assist my birth. She was very knowledgeable and there to answer any questions I had, and if she didn't know the asnwer she always did everything she coul to find out for me.

She was very supportive during my birth. We had planed a natural birth, but due to circumastances beyond our control I ended up with pitocin, and opted for an epidural. She never made me feel bad or ashmed about it. She continued to support me and never pressured me to do ( or not to do) anything. She respected and supported all of my decisions. She truely made my birth experience better just for being there to help me.

Melanie is an wonderful woman and doula, an anyone would be truly blessed to have her as apart of their birth experience.

Posted 2/16/2011

 Mel was my doula for the birth of my third child.  I had had friends and family and midwives at the births of my other two, but I'd never had a doula.  And now I have to say that I can't imagine a birth without one!  :)  Mel was fabulous...very conscientious and caring.  She was very in tune to what needed to be done, whether it was just chatting to keep my mind off of labor, suggesting position changes, or taking care of my kids and my husband (we had a planned homebirth).  I had warned her ahead of time that I get stubborn in labor, not wanting to do needful things (like position changes, etc...I have BIG babies, and sometimes they need a little pelvis repositioning to get out!) because I'm tired or uncomfortable, but she was gently persistent in just the right way as to not make me more grouchy and to actually get me to do those things.  After the birth, she made sure that I was eating and drinking, refilling my glass or getting me a straw so I could sip while laying on my side nursing.  She helped my midwife clean up the house and do a couple of loads of laundry from the birth.  Post-partum visits were also a joy...she even brought me an awesome smoothie!  I would definitely recommend any doula, but if you're in the Fresno area, I'd recommend Mel in particular.  :)

Posted 2/10/2011