Sara Gillaspie Doula Profile

If you are anywhere around Enid and looking for a doula, look no farther! Sara is your girl. She has so much knowledge and is so comfortable to work with. I have had the privilege of her assistance with the birth of two children. Both times she was there to walk us through the process and help to bring the birth stories that I wanted and am proud to share. I am pregnant again and am so sad that we will be moving away before the baby comes and I will not be able to use her again. I am much more attached to her than my Dr. That's how invaluable her services are! She will be with you through the whole labor and delivery process to assist in anyway necessary (something the nurses can't do because they are constantly in and out of the room to assist other patients). She is a learned birth educator if you need info throughout your pregnancy and leading up to the birth. If you want to have a one of a kind, relaxed birth experience, and most importantly the birth YOU envision then call Sara! She will help you achieve it.

Sara was a wonderful addition to the birth experience! She offered such comfort, advice, and encouragement through out the labor and delivery. Labor with my first child had been progressing well when suddenly the baby's heart rate started dropping. Sara helped me to focus and remain calm as we discussed the options. After much encouragement and suggestions of postitions, the baby's heart rate went back to normal and we were blessed with our Katelyn! I believe her recommendation of postition helped me to avoid a c-section. We are forever grateful to have Sara with us to help inform us of our choices and help me to move around during the labor.  Our experience with Sara were so special that we chose her to be our doula again for baby#2.

One might think that having one child that the second would be the same thing. Wrong! My labor was completely different. Sara was so great to help me while I labored offering tips to my husband of things to try and help me through my horrible back labor. She was amazing! WIth both labor and delivery being so different for each pregnancy, we were able to experience first hand her incredible knowledge of techniques as well as being an advocate for us. She was an important part of our expereince and we are grateful to have her there. I can't imagine how different the outcome might havebeen without her support. Thank you, Sara!! :)

  I am very thankful that Sara was there to help me thru' my last month of pregnancy and at the birth of my baby.  My pregnancy was smooth sailing until about 2 weeks before my due date, when I found out my OB  had had a stroke and that I would have to find another Dr. My body was already preparing for birth; I was contracting and was already 3 centimeters and the nurse tho't that by the weekend, I'd be in labor.  Apparently, with a new Dr. in mind, my body went into shock and baby decided it liked living inside of mommy.  Sara went with me to see my new Dr. and I was thankful for her support.  My goal was to have a non-medicated birth like my two other births and this was important to me to get this new Dr. to see that.  Having delivered with my others at a birthing center by a mid-wife, I was not happy at having to go to a hospital. I was fearful because I was told a hospital birth was very different from a birthing center and that I would have to do things I did not want to do, such as being hooked up to a monitor, not being able to walk around, etc.  Sara met us at the hospital when I went into labor and helped me to prepare for what may happen. I had a hard labor and many times wanted to give up. I repeatedly told her and my husband I couldn't do it anymore.  Each contraction, they talked me thru'. Thru' the really hard ones, she held me tight.  She was awesome. Then came time for delivery.  My baby boy was born sunny-side up.  All I can say is that I couldn't have done it without Sara's encouragment and support.  I would hire her again in a heartbeat. Thanks, Sara, for everything. you can't go wrong having Sara there to help you.  My husband at first was skeptical at letting me get a doula, but after it was all said and done, he sang her praises to others.  I also thank God for His blessing us with a healthy pregnancy and a dream come true-a healthy baby boy!

I am an Air Force wife. We found out I was pregnant smack-dab in the middle of pilot training and our main worry was that I wouldn't have anyone around when I went into labor, since my husband was flying often. We were hesitant to try a doula. We imagined a frizzy-haired woman in her 50's, waving patchouli and herbs and chanting about women's gifts while I was giving birth. (Boy was I surprised when I saw Sara! ;-)) Regardless of our preconceptions, I wanted to look into it further. I am SO glad I did! I set up an interview with Sara Gillaspie after reading her bio online. Like me, she was a military wife (retired) and seemed very down to earth with a good sense of humor. Any fears I had before melted away the first time I met her. She is very knowledgeable about pregnancy, labor and birth. She helped me understand what labor would be, wouldn't be, and what I wanted it to be. She talked with me about different techniques to ease pain during labor and what happens at different stages of labor. She helped me learn about the risks of medical interventions, such as epidurals, without making me feel like I COULDN'T get them if needed. She helped me formulate a birth plan, but made sure I understood that NO labor goes exactly to plan. My labor started when my water broke in the middle of the night with no contractions. That meant some of the things I had planned to do during labor, I could no longer do. Sara was right there with alternatives, and kept me from getting discouraged when I wasn't progressing. I had a horrific time with an anesthesiologist, but Sara kept me calm and focused on the task at hand. When my little baby was finally born, Sara cried along with us, taking pictures.
I cannot recommend her enough. She handled a couple of scared, away-from-home newbies like we were family. She is a wonderful person in and out of the labor room, and I maintain contact with her still, nearly 6 years later!

When I think back on my birth experience, I feel pure joy.  Every time I pass the hospital, I smile from the wonderful memories of the experience.  I know this sounds a little impossible... I mean, childbirth is not supposed to be a warm and fuzzy experience.  That's supposed to come later, when you bring the beautiful little baby home.  But somehow, Sara contributed to making my birth experience as wonderful as it could possibly be.

The real assistance began when my due date came and went, and I was still pregnant.  Being that it was my first, I had worries about not knowing how to recognize labor when it came, or worse yet, being pregnant forever.  Nearly every day, I texted Sara with questions, concerns, or frustration, and she never failed to respond with encouraging support.  As the baby came a week and a half late, our whole extended family ended up in town for the waiting process, and Sara even offered me a quiet evening next to the fireplace in her living room so that I could allow myself to relax.

Thankfully, in the delivery room, I was blessed with a very quick and routine labor experience.  While my husband provided emotional support, Sara stood by my side and somehow managed to cut the pain of each contraction in half with perfectly pressured lower back massages.  It was also very helpful having her there to remind me about drinking water and taking care of myself as my husband and I were both understandably very distracted.

We're a military family, so we'll be leaving the area in a few months, and while I'm excited for our new location, the saddest part of leaving is that Sara will not be able to help us with our next birth.  She is a wonderful doula and I could not have had such a perfect natural birth experience without her!

Sara was at the birth of my fist daughter and will hopefully attend the birth of my second here in a few months. She was invaluable to all of us! I can't imagine not having her there. My mom had delivered at home but that wasn't an option for me because there is no midwife in our area but knew I wanted to have a natural birth. Sara is a fantastic birth educator. She taught us what to expect at the birth, how to work with the hospital, techniques for moving smoothly through the labor and delivery proses. She was there with us the whole time, helping me relax through contractions, answering questions, giving us the support we needed as first time parents. The birth was an awesome experience for both myself and my husband. I would do it again and again. I feel like our daughter got the best start possible in the world and I got the best treatment possible! We were able to have a completely none medicated birth and it was wonderful! I thank God for Sara and her excellent talent as a doula.

Sara was awesome.  She was there for our "trial runs."   It was our third birth and her very presence really did make a lot of difference in how pleased we were with the birth.  She made sure I had a heated rice bag, water, etc.  Once I was in the tub I didn't need any real "hands-on" help.  (I actually prefer solitude during labor)  Just being there really helped my hubby be more there for me(emotionally and physically).  He gets so nervous and having someone else there that "gets" birth and knows all about the birthing process really helped him relax and enjoy this time.  He didn't have to remember anything(is this ok?).  All he had to do was be there as my hubby and daddy-to-be again.  Sara wasn't in the way or took anyone's place.  She helped remind us of what we wanted.  She enhanced the whole wonderful experience.

If we were to be birthing in the Enid area again, we'd be giving her a call!  Thanks Sara

I hired Sara as my doula with the birth of my first child, in 2006. She met with me, learned about the kind of birth I envisioned, and helped me acheive it. I spoke with her several times on the phone when I had questions, and she was always helpful. At the birth, she put into action exactly what we had talked about, and her calm, assuring tone throughout my labor was a comfort to me and my husband. I couldn't have had a better birth experience, and I know part of that was having Sara there. My husband would agree, and our experience with her has led him to advise EVERY father to be he knows to hire a doula for his wife's labor and delivery. Thank you Sara!

Before getting pregnant for the first time I had never even heard of a "Doula".  I am so thankful someone suggested I look into it.  I had only met Sara once before going into labor. When the doctor told me I had to be induced I gave her a call to cancel our appointment scheduled for later that week to tell her I was going into the hospital the next morning.  She just said "What time?" and was actually at the hospital before we were waiting on us.  It was such a big relief to have someone experienced there to help me.  My husband was very nervous and she helped show him how to help me.  I have had two miscarriages and two more babies since that first experience and she has been there through it all with me.  Now that we live out of state, we still keep in touch and if we were to have any more kids I would have to find a way to make sure she was a part of it if possible.  I cant imagine going through pregnancy and labor without her by our side, encouraging us. We have made a friend for life.  Sara is one in a million and I couldn't have asked for a better doula.~ Brandi R.

 Sara is an amazing doula! She spent so much time preparing my husband and I before the birth of our first daughter, including the birthing process, breastfeeding, pain management, etc. I felt really prepared going into birth. My water broke at 9pm and she was up with me all night trying to work through the contractions, even while my husband was sleeping! As my labor went on, Sara continued to inform us what was happening. During difficult moments, Sara was kind and loving but strict enough to get through those tough moments. She is informative and discusses both pros and cons to different scenarios and ultimately supports the decisions you make. My labor lasted about 20 hours and Sara was beside us the entire time. To this day, three years later, my husband and I both say that we would have never made it through the whole birthing process with Sara by our side. By the end of the experience I felt as if she were family as we shared the most intense moment of our lives. I highly recommend Sara to anyone looking for a doula!

This was my 5th child and I delivered my 3rd and 4th naturally. With the previous delivery I used a birthing center and the experience was very beautiful. However, the birthing center closed its doors and my choices because more limited again. My husband did not feel comfortable with a home birth, so back to the hospital we went. This delivery went quickly. One minute I was feeding my family meatloaf, the next minute my water broke. I was laying down for a rest but knew that it was coming quickly. I had not experienced real contractions to speak of all that day, but they had started and it was time to go...with all my other deliveries my water had to be broken, but this little girl was ready to go!! I call Sara and she said she would meet me there. She was such the "calm" in the storm. When you go to the hospital there are so many "things" you have to do for them. She was there FOR me to help me and it was so reassuring. All the delivery nurses were running around doing all the things they have to do when a new patient comes. Sara, was focused on my needs and was always one step ahead. Her presence in the room was so peaceful and she was so incredibly knowledgable. My husband had peace with her there in such a mighty way. It gave him the support he needed. (He really dislikes hospitals) She walked me through and when I wanted to give up and find drugs for relief, she talked me through it. The baby came a little over an hour later and it was so awesome to have Miss. Sara by our side. She was our advocate, even when the other nurses didn't really want to listen to what we had to say or what we wanted to do. I appreciate that so much and I appreciate HER so much. It was a blessed experience and she did a fantastic job! My baby girl is now almost 9 mos. old and thriving immensely and loving life!

Sara is a kind, tender woman with a heart devoted to making your doula experience the best it can be.  She is the perfect blend of knowledge, strength and gentleness that helps aid you through the difficulties and joys of labor and delivery.  This is a miraculous event and I could not think of a better helper to have than Sara.  She knows the boundaries to maintain, as to not interfere with the husband and wife moments bringing their child into the world, yet she is excellent at coaching your birth partner in making your experience what you want it to be.  Sara can be strong and stand in the gap between you and the hospital staff to uphold your birth wishes and isn't too shy to do so and yet you will not feel pressure, as if you failed, if you opt to have a medicated birth.  I have passed Sara's name to other mothers-to-be and are thrilled that they too, chose Sara to make their birthing experience that much better.  I deeply missed having her at my daughter's birth but even through the distance, Sara took my calls of question and concern up to the hours prior to my delivery!  I cannot say enough about Sara's character, heart and abilities.  You will not be disappointed!