Erin Luben Doula Profile

 Erin was a wonderful addition to our team.  Her support before, during and after my daughter's birth really made me comfortable.  Myhusband also felt like he could relate to her and felt comfortable.  Erin even went out of her way to include my daughter (6 years old) Even my DOG liked Erin!!  I would encourage anyone thinking about hiring a doula to meet with Erin.  Her team of back ups are a great bunch of women, too.  I really can;t say enough how much I value this experience and how integral Erin was to my realizing a dream.  My birth story is here if you're interested - http://excitementontheside.com/2012/01/23/and-then-we-were-four-part-one/ and I would be happy to answer any inquiry regarding Erin's services.  

This was our second birth with Erin as our doula.  We chose Erin because of her expertise in navigating the birth process and her ability to help us understand our birth options.   We are grateful for her support and wisdom both before labor and during labor.  We are also forever grateful that she took pictures for us (during and after labor).  Additionally, Erin was there for us before my first birth with childbirth 'classes' for my husband and I, and she was there for me before my second birth when I had gestational diabetes with plenty of information and support.  After both births, she came out to our house to check on how we were doing and also to provide breastfeeding support.  Thanks to our great experience with Erin, we have become huge advocates of having a doula present during birth, and recommend that to all of our friends who are pregnant. 

Erin was great at reading what we needed. Erin gave me foot rubs, she reassured me, she helped me try positions to deal with the contractions, and was a resource by my side the whole time. I hadn't planned to have any medications or interventions, but almost ended up needing a c-section after a long labor. With each decision, Erin really helped my husband and me process our options, and she left the decisions in our hands. In the last bit of time, Erin made one more suggestion of a position to try get the baby where she needed to be. While remaining hopeful that the baby would move into position, Erin also helped me make peace with the possibility that I may have a c-section. I cried happy tears after finding out that I finally dilated fully and would be able to have a vaginal birth instead of surgery. Had Erin not been there, I would have had a c-section. Erin took the first pictures of our daughter, and they are so precious to us. Even thinking about the picture of my husband's face when he first saw her brings tears to my eyes. Erin was supportive, informed, insightful, and invested in helping us have a good birth experience. We are now pregnant with our second child, and Erin will be our doula again!