Dalia Abrams Doula Profile

 I could not have had a more perfect birth experience without Dalia. She is a wonderful person and I consider her a part of my family. She was by my side every step of the labor process and was a wonderful advocate for my husband and myself with the hospital staff. Dalia kept me calm and gently instructed my husband on how to best physically, and emotionally, support me. There were several times during my labor experience when I thought that I could not continue with my unmedicated birth plan, but Dalia helped give me the strength and encouragement to continue. My husband and I were so grateful to have her there that we insisted that she cut the umbilical cord. In addition, in the weeks leading up to the birth of our child, we took Dalia's classes. The information we learned in her classes was invaluable during the birth process and considerably reduced our anxiety. Dalia has also been a great support and wealth of information post partum. I have turned to her on multiple occasions for advice about breastfeeding and infant care. I could not give a higher recommendation of her as a Doula and I feel honored to call her my friend. In my eyes, no other Doula in Birmingham could be more amazing. 

I couldn't have done it without Dalia. When I first got pregnant and expressed my concerns about giving birth, my husband said, "well you just go to the hospital, the Doctors and Nurses know what they're doing." After our daughter was born, he said that he would never let me give birth again without Dalia. When my doctor told me he would induce, I called Dalia and with her guidance and my own research, refused the induction. The next day I was in labor. She was the ultimate coach, helping me through the difficult contractions and spending what was probably hours letting me know what I was made to do this and that I would get through it. She provided comfort and ultimately, helped me achieve the birth that I wanted, even when I felt like giving up. I honestly couldn't have done it without her.

I first met Dalia when I signed up for her child birthing class with my first child.  My husband was not convinced we needed a doula, so we did not use a doula for our first birth, and I ended up with a C-section.  Dalia visited me after my C-section for breastfeeding support and listened to my horrible birth story and help me process some issues I was dealing with.  Thanks to her support I knew I wanted to hire her as my doula for my second birth, as I wanted to attempt a V-BAC.  Dalia was supportive to me from the beginning as she followed up with me on a regular basis, was available to answer any questions and encouraged me that VBAC was safe and achievable. Dalia met us at the hospital and immediately provided support to me and my husband. My goal was to have an unmedicated birth. I had hurt my back two weeks prior to going into labor so I was in a lot of pain and afraid I was afraid of having another C-section.  Dalia kept me relaxed with massage throughout my labor and encouragement.  She also suggested different positions and gave my husband suggestions to help me as well as allowing him breaks.  Once I was at 8 cm for an extended period of time, I was not getting any pain relief between contractions due to my back pain.  Dalia was supportive during my decision on whether or not to ask for pain relief as she reminded me of my options and helped me discuss my options with my nurse.  Once I received a "light" epidural, Dalia continued to support me and my husband and when it was getting close to start pushing she assisted with perineal massage.  My VBACShe also was there

I found Dalia after we decided to have an unmedicated birth for our first child.  We attended her childbirth education classes and hired her as our doula after having attended only a couple classes.  She is so relaxed and natural about everything, exactly the kind of person we wanted with us through this experience.

When The Big Day finally came, Dalia was able to give constructive advice on everything: from when we needed to get to the hospital (and make sure we ate something!) to when she came to the hospital to support my husband and I through my labor.  I was teetering on the edge of throwing in the towel and asking for medication and my husband called Dalia for advice.  She was there within the half-hour and was able to refocus my energy on what I had fought so hard for: an unmedicated labor.  She was with me in the shower through my entire transition, guiding my husband on ways to help massage me through back labor and how to keep me calm.  She helped with breathing techniques, relaxation, position changes during the pushing phase, you name it...  I know I couldn't have gotten through the day without her help.

I will sing Dalia's praises for years to come for all that she's done for us.

Dalia was such an essential part of our birth experience, and we believe she contributed greatly to our positive outcome.  We were very unsure, at first, about whether or not to hire a doula.  It was our first birth experience, and we idealistically were thinking we wanted it to be just the two of us in the room for the delivery.  The closer it got to delivery, the more we realized it was going to be too much for Daniel to handle, trying to support me AND remember and assert our birth preferences with the staff at the hospital.  So, we decided to hire Dalia one week before our "due" date!  We are SO glad we made that decision!  First of all, Dalia helped us to know when it was time to go to the hospital.  We didn't want to get there too early.  If she would not have been with us, we would have been there way too early, which could have resulted in a much different experience.  We got to the hospital when I was 8.5 cm, just in time to get checked in and start pushing!  Throughout labor and delivery, Dalia was an amazing resource of ideas for how Daniel could support me, help me relax, and focus on what I needed to do.  She was very comforting, calming, and reassuring.  She reminded me of all the things I learned in childbirth class about how to focus, breathe, and position my body.  It would have been impossible to remember those things on my own while I was in labor!  She was very professional in how she related with the hospital staff, kindly making sure our preferences were respected, but not being awkwardly "pushy. " I also had unique problems with breastfeeding, and Dalia was so supportive and encouraging.  I believe she helped me give my baby every drop of breastmilk my body was able to produce.  If given the opportunity again, we would both hire Dalia without any hesitation.

We feel very lucky to have had Dalia as part of our birth experience.  We went in search of a doula as I was determined to have an unmedicated birth and wasn't sure how supportive the nurses at the hospital would be.  Dalia met with us before the birth and thoroughly talked through our vision of the birth of our son.  We knew then that we had made a great decision as Dalia's exprience, confidence, and kindness shined through.  These qualities continued as she labored with us throughout the night at the hospital.  As soon as she walked into the room, she was advocating for me.  She was by my side helping ease the pain and talking me through the contractions.  Even after the birth, she guided me through passing the placenta myself and helping my son latch for the first time.  I had the birth experience I envisioned, and I believe Dalia helped to make that happen.  Even after we were home, Dalia continued to be a great source of support.  She visited us at home and eased all of my worries and was always a quick e-mail away when a question arose.  I highly recommend Dalia's doula services.

We decided to hire a doula since it was our first child and we had strong feelings about wanting to have an unmedicated natural birth.  We chose Dalia as our doula because of her wealth of knowledge, years of experience, proactive and calming demeanor and confidence in her abilities.  There was never money more well spent than on hiring Dalia to be a part of our daughter's birth.  We would hire her again (and will) with our future pregnancies.  She was a source of positivity and strength during the labor and source of knowledge and experience when we had questions prior to and following the birth.  I especially loved that she took an interest in instructing my husband on how to help me during the labor instead of leaving him "on the side lines".  I'm glad that my husband was able to be really involved in the process and so was he.

Natural birth in Birmingham is rare and can be a daunting experience that leaves you feeling like you're swimming upstream against the "average" medical community.  If you don't have the right knowledge and tools to help you along through the process it can be frustrating, misleading and downright impossible to have the kind of birth that you want.  Dalia helped us achieve the birth that we had set out to have and we are forever grateful.  I have no doubt that it would have been an entirely different and difficult experience without her assistance.  

 Dalia was a wonderful encouragement for me during my labor and water birth. She helped keep not only me calm, but my husband calm and focused as well. She knew some great massage techniques and it was great to have someone there to instruct us on how to use the ones we were taught in classes. I wish that everyone could have as great of an experience as I feel that I had, in part, thanks to Dalia.