Tricia Croom Doula Profile

Tricia was a integral part of our birth. She was very professional, but the rapport that we had with her was like we were friends. She had the best ideas of how to help us cope with labor and even included me in the process. She documented the entire event from the moment that she arrived after my wife went into labor until the time that our daughter was born. With that log of events she wrote up a beautiful birthing story that chronicled our experience. She made us feel like there was nothing to worry about which lowered our stress levels and made things go much smoother. She made sure that the midwife and nurses followed our birth plan to the letter and offered advice to us that fit with how we wanted to have things done. We will definitely have her with us for our next birth. 

I don't think anyone fully understood why I wanted a Doula at my scheduled C-section for baby number four but after seeing Tricia in action they we're believers that every woman delivering a baby by whatever means should have a doula. Tricia was amazing at calming my fears, putting my birth plan into action and making sure everything went smoothly. She is wonderful with husbands too making them feel at ease, needed and important.  I will never have another baby without Tricia, she is a professional that you should not be without! 

When my wife suggested that we have a doula for the birth of our third child, I was skeptical. Our first two children were delivered without a doula, so what benefit would there be now that we were "veterans?" With the vantage point of hindsight, however, I can say that having a doula--Tricia Croom in particular--was an outstanding experience!

From our first meeting with Tricia, I was put at ease with her calm, pleasant, personal, and professional demeanor. This was all wrapped up in Tricia's warm smile that just made us feel relaxed. I thought that it was very beneficial to rehearse the birth plan for our labor and delivery; Tricia was very thorough in reviewing the fine details of each step, helping us think through every possible scenario and what courses of action were available. Tricia's helpfulness at the birth center cannot be understated. Whatever we needed, she was right there to help out. Her presence allowed me to take care of our children and assist my wife without being over-burdened with any of the demands of the moment. Tricia just seemed to have in intuitive sense for where she needed to be and what needed to be done to ensure that everything went smoothly. There were even moments throughout the event that we were able to have rich conversation as we continued to get to know not only our doula, but also our new friend!

I was privileged to have Tricia at the birth of my third child. I had already had two wonderful births at a birthing center with a midwife, but was wishing to do a few things differently this time.  Tricia was a wonderful asset to another great birth experience. She offered great ideas to prepare for the birth and also some suggestions to help with breastfeeding afterwards.  During my labor she was very encouraging and pulled a few 'tricks' out of her bag to help minimize the pain of the contractions.  She was calm and offered reassurance when needed.  She offered great advice when I was pushing which really helped my muscles relax and do a better job of getting the baby out.   She even helped entertain my other children who were present!

I would highly recommend Tricia. She is fun, positive and helpful!

When my wife told me she wanted to use a doula for our second baby, I wasn't really sure we needed her, or what her role would be. But now I cannot imagine not having Tricia there! She was such a tremendous support, not only to my wife, but to me. My wife was attempting a VBAC, and Tricia was a great resource in helping my wife prepare for the labor. We labored for 4 hours at home, which Tricia was there for, then stayed by her side for the remaining 25 hours of labor at the hospital, leaving only once to get my wife a more comfortable pillow. She even came to the hospital the next day to check on us, and came to our house a few days later. She helped my wife with positions, was amazing with relaxation techniques, and was an awesome advocate for my wife and her birth plan. She even found out my favorite snacks before hand and brought them so I wouldn't have to leave! Even though the VBAC was unsucessful, she helped my wife make it to every goal in her plan, which I know would not have happened without Tricia. She will support you, no matter what you need, and will definitely be there for you. When our baby went past her due date, she even rescheduled her anniversary vacation to make sure she would be here for it! She is very knowledgable, and and amazing doula! I cannot recommend Tricia highly enough!

In July of 2005 I experienced the second stage of motherhood, the birthing process. Though it was scary and not to mention the biggest physical test my body would ever exprience at my young age of 15 - I had someone reminding me of all the reasons why I was doing it, the beauty of the fact that I was completely capable of doing it and she took the time and concern to make sure that this life changing experience would be one to look back on as a positive experience; something that I would consider doing again later on in life.

Tricia is not only a positive support before, during and after the birthing process, but she helps the mother-to-be feel understood and empowered during some of the most crucial and difficult points in the labor and delivery stages. She is great at reading cue's of when a moment of silence or rest is needed, or when the mother is in need of powerful motivation. I couldn't have asked for a better doula/birthing coach. Tricia has and uses many resources and tools to help the process go as relaxing and as smoothly as possible. She is more than capable of coaching all ages of mothers, right down to accomodating the mother with any Bible verses or pre-determined quotes for inspiration and comfort, depending on the birthing plan created before labor/delivery.

I personally owe such a lifelong thanks for my wonderful delivery experience to Tricia Croom. If only all mothers-to-be could be blessed enough to have her by their side while they go through the beautiful and difficult process of bringing new life into this world

Oh My Goodness!  What on Earth can I say about Tricia Croom?  I will never have a baby without her present.  She was my doula for my son (8/08) and daughter (5/10).  She is amazing.  Both births were vaginal, I ended up needing an epidural with my son and my daughter was born without intervention in a birthing center in less than an hour and a half and 2 pushes.  The labors were both very different and Tricia was unbelieveably supportive at each one.  Not only is Tricia very present at the birth, she is completley present before and after the birth.  She was able to ease my fears about having my first baby, she talked me through what I needed to do to be prepared.  She showed up joyfully for each instance.  She gave me warm packs for the intense back labor. She knew just how to get me to stop curling my toes through each contraction. She was a serious comfort for my husband who had no idea how to react to his wife laboring.  She met me where I was at each stage and guided me through, letting me make my own decisions about what was best for my new family instead of just doing what people told us (and even educating us that there were even options to be had at my children's birth).  With my daughter I had so many fears about breastfeeding and she literally came over and taught me how to feed her.  She taught me how to nurse laying down so I could sleep.  I felt like no matter what scary labor/new baby hurdly I had to overcome, my husband and I were never going through it alone.  No one should have a baby without Tricia.  What an amazing blessing she has been to me.  She has left an beautiful indelible mark on my life during my children's entrance into this world, and I am very greatful!