Grace Swartzendruber Photo

Grace Swartzendruber

All Bodies All Births Doula Services

Coralville, IA Service range 25 miles A travel surcharge fee will be added for clients located outside of a 25 mile radius from Iowa City.

https://www.allbodiesallbirths.com

Birth Fee

$1100

Postpartum Rate

$40

Availability Remarks: I am not available on call birth support 2022. I am offering scheduled cesarean birth support for clients delivering at UIHC. I have limited postpartum support availability.

Birth Fee

$1100

Postpartum Rate

$40


Birth Doula Experience

6 years and 41 births attended

Postpartum Doula Experience

6 years and 12 families served


Doula Training

  • ProDoula, October 2016
  • DONA International-Approved Workshop, June 2019

Type of practice: Solo practice

Clients per month: 0 to 2 births and 0 to 2 postpartum families

Attends hospital births? All Hospitals
At this time, UIHC is the only area hospital within my service radius currently allowing in-person doula support due to Covid visitor restrictions. These policies are constantly evolving, so always best to check with your own birthing facility to confirm.

Attends birth center births? No Birth Centers
There are currently no birth centers located within my service radius.

Attends home births? No Home Births


College Education

BA/BS


Special Services Offered

  • Abortion support
  • Antepartum doula support
  • Baby-led weaning
  • Babywearing education
  • Bereavement doula (pregnancy & infant loss)
  • Cloth diapering education
  • First Aid and CPR
  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Miscarriage support
  • Mother blessing celebrations
  • Newborn care specialist
  • Sibling support (for your older children at the birth)
  • Surrogates and intended parents
  • Virtual and remote doula support

Relevant volunteer or advocacy work

Co-administrator of local Pregnant and Postpartum in the Corridor support group Member of the Johnson County Breastfeeding Coalition Patient Advocate/Representative for the Iowa Department of Public Health's Iowa Maternal Quality Care Collaborative and HRSA Community Advisory Board. Iowa Cesarean Collaborative Faculty Member: Iowa Department of Health / IMQCC / AIM Co-founder and member of Doulas of Iowa City, which provides networking and continuing education opportunities for local doulas as well as local Meet the Doulas events for expectant parents. Additional training and education in Spinning Babies, Stillbirthday, Trauma Informed Care, Postpartum Support International

Languages Spoken

  • English

Fee Details

My fees reflects my years of experience, births & clients supported, trainings, courses and workshops attended. At this time I am unable to offer free or reduced services.

Service Area

Coralville, IA Service range 25 miles A travel surcharge fee will be added for clients located outside of a 25 mile radius from Iowa City.

Client Testimonials for Grace Swartzendruber

Post a testimonial for Grace Swartzendruber

Katie Ulrey

9/8/2023

Grace is one of the most caring individuals I have ever met. She was our postpartum doula for my second babe and we are forever grateful. Her evening support allowed both myself and my husband to catch up on much needed sleep with a toddler and newborn at home. She also came for some daytime shifts, taking light housework off my hands, which allowed me to get self-care time. Grace prioritized checking in on me and ensuring I was supported - but is also an expert in baby snuggles!

The only thing I would change is that I would have had Grace support our family for my first postpartum journey too. I cannot recommend her enough!

Jemma S

6/10/2022

This review is long overdue. I’ll start by saying that It’s really hard to articulate how great Grace is at what she does. 

The birth of my first daughter was pretty traumatic and after learning I was expecting twins, I knew that I wanted extra support. As soon as we talked to Grace over Zoom (Thanks Covid), I knew that she was a good match for us. 

Grace was really supportive and helpful throughout my pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum.I particularly liked the fact that she involved my husband with birth planning. I ended up having an emergency C section. Grace was there and I felt like she advocated for me and thought about the little things. She made sure I had snacks when I was allowed to eat, stayed with me when my husband went with the twins to Nicu. I really can’t say enough about how great she is!

We also hired Grace as a postpartum doula. I really cannot express how grateful I was for her support during this time. I really enjoyed our conversations and she made me feel confident and empowered. If you’re thinking about hiring a doula, I highly recommend it. It really is an investment.

Katie

4/22/2022

We had an amazing experience with Grace as our birth and postpartum doula. We really put her through the wringer and she never let us down. I had pregnancy complications resulting in a beautiful preemie born at 28 weeks and a 3 month NICU stay. Grace was there for me and my family through everything. She checked in regularly, provided amazing emotional support, and always had the resources I needed. She is incredibly knowledgeable when it comes it all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

Grace came for 20 hours of postpartum shifts. She cared for the baby while I got things done around the house, took a much needed nap, did telehealth appointments, or just had some me time. She was amazing with the baby and would always offer to do more. One of her many talents is anticipating needs. She’s incredibly compassionate and intuitive when it comes to taking care of people. She is also very professional. I always trusted her with my body and my baby. 

One story of note that really shows who Grace is: during one postpartum shift, I wrapped up everything I needed to do with some time left. Grace would have been welcome to leave a little early (especially after everything we put her through, haha) but instead she sat with me and the baby then offered to take our picture together. People don't offer to do this very often and it meant so much to me. I’ll save that picture forever with great memories of Grace and her doula magic.

Ashley Neuweg

1/3/2022

After meeting with my midwife and planning on having a VBAC at The University of Iowa, I found Grace on Doula Match.  After our first encounter, I knew that Grace was the perfect fit for us. Due to COVID, we met on Zoom and had our monthly/weekly meetings on Zoom as well. I didn't actually meet Grace in person until I was in labor but felt completely comfortable with her. The minute she walked into the labor and delivery room I could feel myself relax and I felt completely at ease. Grace has such a positive and calming energy about her. She is a great advocate for you in the delivery room when you or your partner may not even be aware that you need one. Grace is also a wealth of knowledge. I asked for information on certain topics (vitamin K, breastfeeding, ect.) and she was able to provide me with resources that were factual and didn't have a bias one way or another, which is difficult to find. I really appreciated that information so that we could make our own educated decisions. I would also like to recommend Grace's herbal sitz bath blend and her bone broth - they are both wonderful for healing after labor. Even 12 weeks postpartum, I continue to get messages from Grace just checking in on us. It's so comforting to still know that she is there to support me if I need her.  I highly recommend Grace for all of your birth and postpartum needs.

 

 

 

Amber Goodrich

12/31/2021

We hired Grace for our second baby right around 30 weeks when I realized I needed some extra support after some birth trauma with my first birth. Grace was nothing short of attentive, validating and so helpful. She is full of great resources. I went into our birth feeling ready, confident and safe and I feel a lot of that is because of the amazing support Grace provided us. She even came to see us postpartum, brought me bath salts, a smoothie and bone broth for healing. In a time when the rest of the world cares most about the baby postpartum, Grace makes sure mama is okay- and that makes all of the difference. We would highly recommend Grace- she truly is amazing at what she does! 

Mayeken Yoder

7/28/2021

Grace was an essential part of my VBAC experience. I cannot recommend her highly enough!! Her compassionate and professional care made my birth experience a beautiful one!

Tonya Adams

7/26/2021

Grace is very knowledgeable, supportive, and empathetic.  She helped us every step of the way, from birth preparation to post-partum care.  She has a great rapport with the UIHC staff and is able to advocate on behalf of her clients.  She provides information and options and allows you space to make the best decision for you and your birth.  I highly recommed Grace; the best money we spent in preparing for our new little one!

Lucy Morris

7/23/2021

Hiring Grace was the best decision I made in my pregnancy and birth process. Even though we didn’t meet in person until my third trimester due to the pandemic, she was an invaluable source of support throughout. From our first conversation with her, my partner and I felt more confident; her familiarity with the healthcare system, my providers, and community practitioners and resources was critical to us as first time parents. Throughout pregnancy Grace was present, resourceful, compassionate, empathetic, and a source of evidence-based information and inside knowledge. She listened carefully to me and my partner, which allowed her to advocate effectively for me during labor and delivery. All of this is what I hoped to find in a doula, but Grace stood out even further to me in her understanding of pregnancy, birth, and parenting as processes that, rather than being realms of personal choice, actually draw you further into systems that are larger than you as an individual (the healthcare system, workplace policies, family dynamics, and more). Grace's recognition of the realities and challenges that come with interacting with systems and institutions was vital to me and my sense of empowerment during this time. I always felt she understood not just me, but the bigger picture I was a part of as a birther. In her care, I felt both that I had an ear and an advocate, someone who could affirm what I was experiencing and also help me effectively problem solve (a balance that is so much harder to achieve than it looks!).

Amy

1/15/2021

We cannot recommend Grace enough. She brings so much positivity, compassion, valuable knowledge and experience. Before birth, she was able to provide us with a lot of useful information about pregnancy, birth, and where to buy/find things, etc. Communication is great and she's a really good listener. We also appreciate that Grace is very careful to protect herself and her clients from COVID risks.

Since I gave birth in the university hospital, she was able to come in when active labor started. As a doula, she is there to provide support and advocate for the birthing person. In this sense, knowing boundaries and one's role in the care team is especially important--and Grace is really good about it. She seemed well-acquainted and well-liked by the staff around L&D. Since I had a long birth, she arranged for a backup doula to come over for the last stretch. Fortunately we were able to meet Grace's colleague on Zoom in advance so she wasn't a complete stranger and it worked out well.

My birth and postpartum experience was not easy but we're so grateful we had Grace with us on this journey.

Alyssa

1/15/2021

Me and my wife had a very pleasing experience with Grace. Our baby was born at the beginning of the Pandemic so unfortunately, we were not able to take advantage of all of the services she offers like we had hoped, but nonetheless, Grace was extremely responsive to any/all questions we had related to labor and delivery and postpartum life as well. Grace is very passionate about and dedicated to this work and as such puts forth her best efforts in providing services and educating herself about issues related to being a doula and their clients. I definitely recommend you check her out! 

Rachel

1/10/2021

During virtual prenatal visits due to COVID, Grace helped us with our birth plan and shared many resources. She walked us through what to expect when arriving at the hospital to birth our baby which helped us feel more confident and prepared. It was clear Grace had attended many births and was very informed about staff and procedures at the hospital we would be going to. Most of the staff at the hospital knew who Grace was and were elated to know Grace would be attending the birth. I understood it was important to have a “village” of support during my pregnancy and birth and Grace was at the center of it. She connected me to a chiropractor, acupuncturist, lactation consultant and prenatal massage therapist and also went above and beyond by communicating with my midwife. 


Grace kept in close contact in the days leading up to birth and arrived at the hospital at just the right time. She provided many comfort measures (my favorite was rolling a lacrosse ball on my rear and lower back while on all fours!) and offered many suggestions for birth positions. When the birth was grueling Grace offered encouragement and affirmations. She supported us while we made difficult decisions about how to get our boy out. When our son was finally on my chest Grace was there to help with his first latch. 


When the birthing gets rough Grace knows how to bring love into the room and bring you back to yourself. She is the master of unconditional positive regard, has no judgements providing only support, and is the Validation Queen. Two and a half weeks out from birth Grace continues to check in, normalize how I feel, and directs me to resources. I feel like I hired a doula and ended up with a friend!

Kate Rader

1/8/2021

One of the first things I recommend to friends or family who are expecting, is a doula. It’s worth every penny.

Grace is a doula-extraordinaire! Or maybe a therapist for your uterus? Is that a thing? Pandemic or not, she is knowledgeable, humble, compassionate, & non-judgmental. As if her mental Rolodex isn’t sufficient, she has resources & referrals for everything!

I was really apprehensive about paying for any type “virtual” support but once we signed on with Grace, I never looked back. I’m not quite sure how she balances her doula life & personal life but from my POV, she’s killing it!

I delivered at UIHC & had my second unexpected c-section. Grace supported me virtually for a VBAC attempt until the team said it wasn’t in the books. My first & only request to the team was, “Can we please wait for Grace?” I couldn’t have made it through without her. I was never alone in the OR or during recovery, as my husband was with my daughter post-birth.

Thank you, Grace! You’re amazing.

Rachel Bailey

12/1/2020

Grace was all I could ever hope for and more from a doula! She provided excellent virtual support during our pandemic pregnancy with baby #2. I didn't realize how much I would value her weekly check-in's and extra validation when I was home quarentining while pregnant. While not allowed in the delivery room due to hospital covid restrictions, having Grace on facetime is something I remember so intensly. Her voice kept me focused and calm (which I really needed during an unmedicated, very intense delivery)! Even now at 4 months postpartum, Grace provides support. I can't recommend her enough - we love you Grace!

Amanda

12/1/2020

Grace is so knowledgeable and caring! When I had questions during my pregnancy she was there with information and real life examples. A total godsend!

Stephanie and Grant

10/22/2020

We highly recommend working with Grace. She was extremely supportive during my pregnancy and postpartum and was particularly invaluable during my birth experience. Her knowledge of the birthing process helped make a painful process as comfortable as possible and her help in navigating decisions during a stressful time was a tremendous asset. Having a comforting presence at the birth who was specifically on our “team” was so helpful to us and we are so thankful that we hired Grace to assist with our birth experience! 

Shannon B

9/4/2020

Professional beyond reproach...but so very personable. Empowering...but not overpowering. Educational and so well informed...but not belittling or intimidating. REAL, down-to-earth, so very approachable...one of those individuals you feel you've known forever. 

I was intrigued at the thought of a doula, and followed my gut on the prospect--

She turned my very practical husband from feeling a doula was completely unnecessary ("the hospital provides everything we need!") to pro-doula after one meeting...not an easy feat! We had a phenomenal OB (three cheers for Dr Wenzel at Mercy!), but Grace was a pivotal member of our birth team from day one...well before the birth.

Grace was fully engaged before, during, and after the birth--there was nothing we couldn't ask her. She was even present for our ECV (I swear she was the secret to a successful procedure!), and providing support throughout our 36 hour labor (during an ice storm, with an injured ankle, no less!). I could go on and on about her labor support alone, but I will note a highlight--I was minutes from a C-section, and Grace worked with our OB to identify a positional change that helped my baby along to the point the C-section was no longer required. WOW. Not to mention an abundance of nurses and the four OBs we worked with throughout the labor all sang her praises--she worked so well with them and they appreciated her presence and support as much as we did! 

If the cost is a hesitation, I hear you--every aspect of this investment is so worth it. From physical to emotional to educational support--we are so grateful for Grace and all she offered. Though not every aspect of the birth went as I 'wanted' or 'desired' (does it ever?), we are grateful so many aspects of our experience went 'smoothly,' and we have Grace to thank for all of it--in particular, for her non-judgmental support at every turn.

Ellen Graber-McCrae

8/8/2020

If you're looking for a doula that is responsive, supportive, funny and empathetic, look no further! Grace was an amazing support during my pregnancy and continues to be so during my "fourth trimester.". I can text her with my questions and she never makes me feel dumb or high-strung for asking or worrying. I felt very comfortable being the hot mess mom that I am around her and she never made me feel guilty for not always following her advice. She is not pushy but she is a wealth of information if you need it! Grace was especially helpful while I dealt with being pregnant during a pandemic and the different decisions that went along with that as well. 

Nicole Neira

8/6/2020

Grace was an incredibly important source of support for me and my husband before, during, and following the birth of our first child! I will always be eternally grateful for all of the emotional support on top of everything else ??

Before:
She helped us to think through our birth plan and took us through all of the elements that were important to consider before labor.

During:
While I was being induced (I was a little more than a week overdue): she alternated time with me in the hospital with my husband so he could be as well-rested as possible when labor began; she walked me around L&D many times and helped me to stay active; she also helped me to rest and stay soothed even lending me an eye mask (which I can’t recommend enough for a hospital stay).
And once labor [finally] started Grace helped me to stay focused, and achieve my goal of giving birth without the use of pain medication! When our baby girl was born, Grace helped me to get her latched for the first time and then stayed with us long enough to make sure that we were settled in afterwards.

After:
After we left the hospital she continued to be attentive to all of our needs and very thoughtful and sensitive to the adjustments we were going through.

Emma

7/6/2020

Grace is compassionate, attentive, empathetic— these things paired with her evidence-based support that comes from a place of non-judgment (and given with the perfect amount of humor)— have been such gifts to my family and me through both motherhood and my pregnancy. Grace has been there to hold space for me during early pregnancy anxiety, to offer warm meals and company in intense seasons of motherhood, and is always accessible when I feel I need a voice of reason or support. I whole-heartedly recommend Grace to any birthing person in need of prenatal or birth support and to any family in need of postpartum care. I’m confident your experience will be calmer, richer, and more empowering with her in your corner.

Ashley Unruh

7/6/2020

Grace is such a calm and encouraging person that knows exactly when to sit and listen and when to offer advice, support and resources. As someone who struggles with all parts of pregnancy, she was wonderful at checking in on me and helping to keep me focused on the beautiful end goal of a baby. She is extremely knowledgeable in the pregnancy and post-partum journey and is always willing to help find resources to help you with whatever is going on. I appreciated her prompt responses and her ability to empathize with my struggles. I can't say enough about the wonderful support I received from her!

Carolyn

6/30/2020

Throughout my pregnancy and postpartum experience, Grace offered thoughtful, compassionate, generous, and caring support. She can empathize with women in all types of situations and provides encouragement and valuable knowledge. Whether it's regularly checking in to ask about your well-being or dropping off a carefully and lovingly prepared meal, Grace is someone who goes above and beyond to care for women and their families in practical and tangible ways. To spend time with her is to feel seen and supported, no matter what stage of pregnancy or postpartum you're in!

Erin

5/28/2020

Grace brought a soothing & encouraging presence to our labor & delivery, as well the prenatal and postnatal periods. Her diverse knowledge and experiences, as well as her non-judgmental approach, helped me to mentally and physically prepare for birth and heal afterwards. She provided frequent and prompt communications throughout the process. She brings a clear passion to her work, with an amazing amount of empathy. I'm so happy we had her by our side!

Jessica Patel

1/17/2020

Right from the beginning, my husband and I knew we wanted to have a doula be involved in the birth of our son. When we met Grace, we were immediately put at ease with her experience and her warm, caring energy. We were so lucky that Grace was not only involved in the birth, but throughout the months of my pregnancy as well. She provided us with resources, met with us multiple times, and walked us through all of our options so we felt empowered making decisions. Pregnancy and birth is such an exciting and emotional experience, and throughout the challenging parts of our birth she kept us calm, positive, and present. Grace knows when to step in and also is very respectful of boundaries, although for us we wanted her as involved as possible. During my labor, there were some difficult and scary moments, and I am so grateful to Grace for literally holding me, offering positive affirmations, and targeting my pain with massage techniques. Grace and my husband worked together to keep me going for those long hours, and she also made sure he was getting rest as well. After our son was brought into the world and we went home as parents, she made sure to check-in with us to make sure we were taking care of ourselves and also helped us process the whole experience. I highly recommend Grace as a doula, and know she will be a part of our next birth experience!

Johanna Tomlinson

11/6/2019

Short version - If you are looking for compassionate, nonjudgmental support, I highly recommend Grace.

Long version - Upon learning we were pregnant, Grace was one of my first calls to find out if she would have availability for our due date.  Hiring her early on was such a blessing, as I was able to reach out when I needed encouragement throughout the pregnancy. Always kind and responsive, Grace often gave me a much needed nudge to take care of myself and listen to what my body was telling me.


When the last few weeks of the pregnancy became stressful and exhausting, her check ins, solid advice, and humor were a buoy of strength.  And when labor finally began for real, Grace was with me every contraction from the moment she walked in the door.


Thinking back through the birth and the phenomenal support Grace offered, it is evident how carefully she listened to my preferences and concerns in our prenatal appointment. Her encouragement was exactly what I needed.  And, when our older kiddos awoke right as baby was being born, she provided amazing sibling doula support that allowed my husband to focus on me and baby.  


Grace’s support had a definitively positive impact on how I experienced this birth, and for that I will be forever grateful.

Kara C

7/21/2019

Grace has been an invaluable resource to me after the birth of my first child this past November. She provided a compassionate, non-judgmental listening ear throughout the up and downs of my journey as a new mother and while navigating breastfeeding. She provided me with loads of great resources to care for my own body post-birth and also tips to make the transition to motherhood as smooth as possible. She expertly provided support in all the aspects of motherhood that I didn't even know I would need support in as a first-time mom. If there was something that Grace didn't know that was specific to my situation, she went above and beyond to find the resources for me. I cannot recommend her services enough and am beyond grateful for her help through this huge transition in my life.

Lydia

7/18/2019

Grace worked with my husband and I during the birth of our son back in early 2018. It was my first pregnancy, I was new to the area, and I was so nervous about all the unknowns of the labor and delivery process. When my water broke, my husband contacted Grace and she came over to the hospital as quickly as she could. She calmed our nerves, advocated for us to the nurses and midwives who were attending the birth when we were too flustered to do so, and provided a steady and helpful presence during one of the wildest experiences my husband and I had ever had. After the birth, Grace followed up with us and provided help with breastfeeding and was a listening and empathetic ear to the first-time-mom experience. We are so thankful Grace was our doula, and would absolutely recommend her to anyone in the area. 

Birth Availability for Grace Swartzendruber

= Available. Calendar last updated: 04-26-2023

Postpartum Availability for Grace Swartzendruber

= Available. Calendar last updated: 04-26-2023