Morgan  Hayward, CD(DONA) Photo

Morgan Hayward, CD(DONA)

Jamaica Plain, MA Service range 60 miles I have a car and can travel to you.

https://www.morgandoula.com

Birth Fee

$1400

Birth Fee

$1400


Birth Doula Experience

3 years and 38 births attended


Birth Doula Certifications

  • DONA International - Certified Birth Doula

Doula Training

  • DONA International-Approved Workshop, October 2019

Type of practice: Solo practice

Clients per month: 0 to 2

Attends hospital births? All Hospitals
I have attended births at CHA, Beth Israel, BMC, BWH, NWH, SSH, Tufts and MAH. I personally have received care at Mt. Auburn and Brigham and Women's.

Attends birth center births? All Birth Centers

Attends home births? Any Home Birth
The second birth I attended was a home birth. It was so lovely. I would love to experience more home births.


College Education

BA/BS

MA/MS


Special Services Offered

  • Antepartum doula support
  • LGBTQIA+ Support
  • Reduced rates for women considering adoption
  • Sibling support (for your older children at the birth)
  • Surrogates and intended parents
  • Virtual and remote doula support

Languages Spoken

  • English

Fee Details

I have previously worked with Carrot. My fees cover 1) at least two prenatal meetings including teaching and handouts, 2) prompt emotional and informational support via text, email, the phone leading up to the birth, 3) on-call status after 37 weeks, 4) in-person support at the time of labor and delivery, both at the birthing person's home and at the birthing site, 5) one to two hours of support immediately after the baby is born, and 6) one to two postnatal meetings to debrief, teach and offer resources.

Service Area

Jamaica Plain, MA Service range 60 miles I have a car and can travel to you.

Certifications for Morgan Hayward, CD(DONA)

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Certification

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Client Testimonials for Morgan Hayward, CD(DONA)

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Lynn Drew

9/10/2024

Morgan is an exceptional doula whose intuitive and evidence-based approach was the perfect fit for us. From our very first conversation, we saw that Morgan was a generous listener and learner, with a passion for her clients and all things pregnancy/birth. She went above and beyond to get to know us and to help us to plan for the birth we desired. She was warm, personable and always quick to respond to questions or concerns during my pregnancy. Despite my labor being an early scheduled induction (due to high risk pregnancy), I was able to experience a healing and trauma-free birth thanks to Morgan. She helped us create a soothing atmosphere in our hospital room, guided my husband and I through labor positions to support optimal positioning for birth, and provided massage and counter pressure to help me get through contractions without anesthesia. I appreciated how she allowed me to focus on laboring and didn't ask lots of questions or seek feedback, simply watched closely for physical cues. I felt so safe, calm and supported with Morgan by my side. My daughter's birth day was truly a dream come true! I cannot recommend Morgan enough!

Lucy

9/3/2024

I would recommend Morgan to anyone planning a birth in the Boston area! She was incredibly supportive before, during + after my birth. I'm a first time mom who was planning to labor without an epidural, and I really think I could not have had the labor I had without Morgan. It was an incredibly positive experience thanks to her help keeping me focused + calm.

Morgan is smart, believes in evidence-based medicine, and is very responsive to her clients' questions and needs. The resources on her website are so thorough and helpful. We met with her twice before the birth and once afterwards.

Alice M

6/28/2024

My husband and I loved working with Morgan! Although I knew I wanted an epidural, I also knew that as a first time mom I wanted a doula to help me navigate birth process and provide continuous care from a person I had met before and felt comfortable with while at the hosptial. Morgan had no judgement about the epidural and provided a wealth of knowedge about the epidural process and expectations. We found the prenatal appointments with Morgan and all the research/resources she provided invaluable and helpful. She was especailly a good resource for my husband who was even less familiar with the birthing process than me. She asked us good questions leading up to the birth which helped us think through certain aspects as a team. Although I did not get to experience the full extent of Morgan's vaginal birth services and pain management because of an unplanned c-section, she was still able to provide amazing emotional support during and after the delivery process in the hospital. She also provided resources and information specific to my recovery which was great. We highly recommend working with Morgan - if we decide for a VBAC with a second child we will be hiring her again! 

Preet

6/3/2024

As first-time parents, my husband and I were quite clueless about the labor and delivery process. We lucked out in finding Morgan, who spent several hours educating us on what to expect, helping us create a comprehensive birth plan, and sharing tips to make early labor at home more comfortable. More importantly though, she was incredibly kind, gentle, caring, and honest through the process! 

Throughout my 36-hour prodromal labor, Morgan was a constant source of support and guidance. She maintained continuous communication, offering reassurance and practical advice. I finally reached the hospital triage at 7 cm dilated and 100% effaced. 

Morgan's presence during the delivery process was a blessing and made active labor at the hospital quite fun tbh. When things took an unexpected turn, leading to an emergency C-section, I found the thought of it and the process itself hard to cope with. But having Morgan by my side made all the difference. Her empathy and support not only helped me get through it but also prevented me from misdirecting my frustration towards my loving husband.

Morgan's support was unparalleled. I look back fondly at the labor and pushing process. We truly lucked out in finding Morgan as our birth doula, and I cannot recommend her highly enough.

Amy

4/17/2024

I can't say enough positive things about my experience with Morgan during the birth of my first child. Morgan was a calm, comforting, and reassuring voice throughout the last trimester of my pregnancy. Her pre-birth sessions with my husband and I were very helpful, and Morgan always went out of her way to answer questions for us, help guide us to other resources, and more. Her wealth of practical knowledge and experiecne really shined, and she was excellent at tailoring that knowledge to what we needed at each stage.

Morgan's presence during my labor & delivery itself was truly a highlight of the birthing process for both my husband and myself. She had an incredibly calming presence and was extremely non-judgmental, reassuring, and supportive at every decision point. She also had a second sense for what I needed in any given moment - a sip of water, an alternative comfort measure, a kind word, or a needed reality check. The entire experience felt more manageable and in control because we had her by our side, especially as we managed through a few unexpected hiccups during labor. 

We are also so appreciative of Morgan's follow-ups after our baby's birth - she obviously so genuinely cares about us and our son, by checking in with us, delighting in new pictures and milestones of our baby's development, and providing follow-up resources for us to explore.

Hiring Morgan was one of the best decisions we made during my pregnancy, and we would recommend her to anyone considering her as their doula!

Kim

3/21/2024

Morgan is a wondeful doula.  She is kind, gentle, and knowledgeable.  My husband and I met with Morgan twice before the birth of our daughter.  Morgan asked us questions and talked us through what we could expect.  These meetings spurred more conversations between my husband and me and definitely helped us feel prepared and on the same page for the birth.  Morgan also helped me immensely during my long labor.  She helped me make decisions about pain relief, got me into different positions to help labor along, and helped me stay calm through breathing and massage.  Having someone with lots of experience there put me at ease.  After the birth, Morgan met with us to talk through the experience and check in.  She gave us practical tips for helping our baby with gas.  Morgan also worked with us to prepare a bill to submit to our insurance company. 

We are so happy to have had Morgan's help and recommend her to all.  Morgan will support you in your pregnancy and labor.  She is easy to talk to and not judgmental.  When it's time to labor, you'll feel safe and cared for.

Kate L

3/1/2024

Morgan was an incredibly helpful, thoughtful and thorough doula! Her super power is her wealth of knowledge about birth. I worked with her for my second birth, and she helped explain things to me that were enlightening on the second go-around. Morgan also assisted in strategizing how to make my birth as successful as possible. I had an induction, and she was right by my side the whole time. She used great massage techniques, and was anticipatory of my needs. Highly recommend her!

Ashley Hansen-Brown

2/29/2024

Morgan was absolutely fantastic to work with! I interviewed three potential doulas and chose Morgan because she's very organized, thoughtful, and has a calming presence. She met with my partner and I twice in our home to chat about what to expect in the labor & delivery process, giving us a detailed run-down of her tips, including several things we hadn't thought of that ended up being super helpful. I ended up needing a scheduled induction, which was not what I wanted, but Morgan helped me process that and what to expect from it. I had a tough, long induction that almost turned into a C-section, finally took off on the third day, and included a failed epidural that needed to be replaced -- all things that required tough decisions and attempts to interface with nurses and doctors, that I would not have felt prepared to manage by myself. Morgan was invaluable throughout my entire labor process -- I can't imagine how I would have gotten through the long slog of the transitional phase without her counting breaths and giving me reassurance and support throughout! I really can't recommend her enough. If you're considering hiring a doula, 1) DO IT and 2) hire Morgan! 

Sally & Chris

1/18/2024

We had a wonderful experience with Morgan. From our very first meeting she made us feel comfortable and demonstrated that she was well informed and updated on current practices and recommendations related to pregnancy and childbirth. Morgan was very open minded and allowed us to make our own decisions regarding our birth plan, while providing helpful guidance and resources along the way. She was easy to communicate with and always responded quickly to our questions. If she didn't have an answer for us off the top of her head she was willing to do some research or reach out to her colleagues for additional input. When the time came for labor and delivery, Morgan communicated with us via text during early labor and then quickly came over to our house when we asked her to. She supported us at home and was quick to switch gears when we indicated that we were ready to move to the hospital. At the hospital, Morgan was a wonderful support to both my husband and myself. She stayed through the entire birth process and even cut the umbilical cord for our baby. We are so happy with the decision to hire Morgan for our birth. As first-time parents it was so comforting to have someone to reach out to with questions throughout my pregnancy and to have an experienced support person present at the birth. Morgan's calm and encouraging energy was exactly what we needed to help us through the process. We highly recommend Morgan to anyone looking for a doula!

Bree Westphal

10/15/2023

When I found Morgan's profile on doulamatch, I had a feeling we'd get on well. I was looking for someone warm yet pragmatic, with good technical knowledge, who could explain to me what worked in what case and why. This was also important for my husband, an engineer. She made a great impression at our in-person prenatal meetings, but she positively shone at the big event.

My labor was about 22 hours all told. Morgan was at my side for all that time, staying up through the night and coaching me on breathing. She also helped my husband stay positive, get some rest, and find a niche for himself in the process. Like many women, I'd hoped for a natural birth with minimal interventions. Morgan's calm, patient presence helped me to achieve that, while also helping me accept that the birth journey would go whatever way it may. When my precious daughter finally emerged, Morgan captured priceless pictures that we will treasure forever.

When we said goodbye at the end of our postpartum meeting, I felt like I was saying goodbye to a good friend. I wouldn't hesitate to engage Morgan again when we are ready for more children.

 

Danielle Marine

10/11/2023

Morgan was present at the birth of both of our daughters. Before labor, she shared so many great resources to help us prepare for the birthing experience and to help guide us through the tough newborn phase. Both of my daughters went well past their due dates and Morgan was incredibly helpful with responding to my desperate texts and giving me tips and tricks to tackle my anxiety and distract myself from over thinking everything.

Both of my daughters had to be induced. Morgan had great communication, checking in with my progress and my mental state. When my labor finally started progressing, Morgan was at the hospital in record time. She immediately stepped in to help support me and my partner. This included walking laps around the labor and delivery floor, holding my hand and comforting me during contractions, supplying endless suggestions of how to make each contraction less painful, guiding me through breathing patterns, providing encouraging words when I felt helpless, and so much more. Morgan was really helpful in asking great clarifying questions when the midwives and nurses were updating me on my progress and instructing us on next steps. After both of my daughters were born, Morgan made sure to take so many pictures of our family's first moments together. These pictures are some of my most prized possessions, as they are a beautiful reminder of when my life changed forever.

After our first experience with Morgan, we could think of no other support person for our second labor experience. She is so knowledgeable and goes out of her way to stayed updated with current practices. She really listens to what you want out of your birthing experience and supports you towards that goal. She is so encouraging and is truly there to help support you through your birthing experience. If we are blessed with a third baby, we will being asking Morgan to help support us again. She is amazing!

Cami

4/26/2023

Morgan was pivotal in helping to make my hospital birth experience as comfortable and empowering as it could have been despite some limitations placed by the clinical team.

I wanted an unmedicated vaginal birth and was disappointed to hear that my OB scheduled an induction. This led to some anxieties. Morgan was a good listener and very resourceful, supporting us in making the best informed decisions.

Sometimes things just don’t go as planned - My water broke spontaneously earlier than the planned date and my labor started shortly after. Morgan came into the hospital overnight and had great teamwork with the nurses, me and my partner.

She noticed the little things that made a big difference and adapted to our changing needs from hour to hour. I squeezed her hands tightly and breathed through bigger waves of contractions, and she helped soothe me when I had leg cramps. When my exhausted partner needed a break, Morgan was there to give him some much-needed rest. Overall, we loved her calming and encouraging presence and the practical, flexible approach.

She’s an amazing doula, and we won’t hesitate to work with her again when we next grow our family!

Sara B

3/28/2023

Working with Morgan made my dream birth possible, beginning with making a plan and through our daughter’s birth.

When I told Morgan I wanted an unmedicated birth, she asked me what my plan was for pain management. I had no plan – but I knew at that moment that Morgan was the one to help me build one. And indeed, she was. Morgan provided me with references, resources (books, especially) and guidance that helped me and my husband to build a birth plan and a plan for pain management that had built in flexibility and an ability to handle changes in circumstances.

More than that, she helped me navigate the unexpected throughout my pregnancy. Her advice and support helped me formulate next steps when we learned my daughter may have a genetic disorder, and again when a doctor told me, without evidence, that I should assume I would have to be induced in a few weeks. It was Morgan’s suggestion to seek a second opinion that built our relationship with a doctor who supported our plan and helped us avoid induction until the last possible moment.

In the end, I had to be induced, but Morgan’s advice helped me negotiate to be able to move around, despite continuous monitoring, and made it possible for me to give birth without anesthesia, quite literally standing on my own. During labor, her help with counter-pressure and suggestions of new positions made the pain manageable and helped me to work through the difficult stages of labor. My birth experience wasn’t what I pictured, but because of Morgan it was everything I hoped for.

I highly recommend working with Morgan – her work changes outcomes in every stage of pregnancy and labor, and her support gave me the resources and the strength to feel good about my birthing experience.

Daniel and Sarah

3/28/2023

We interviewed several doulas before deciding to hire Morgan, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made during pregnancy. In the months leading up to the birth, Morgan took the time to help us parse all the information we were learning from prenatal classes, books, and other sources. She also walked us through the hospital process, which helped ease our anxiety by making us feel that we weren't going in blind.

During the birth, Morgan was a lifesaver for both of us. She went out of her way to soothe Sarah's discomfort and anxiety using personalized methods; helped us interpret everything the doctors and nurses were telling us; assisted the nurses in physically supporting Sarah during labor; and made sure I had time to communicate with our families and get some rest. We experienced a longer labor than expected, and we can't imagine how we would've gotten through it without Morgan. She remained a calming, supportive, and knowledgeable presence every step of the way. After the birth, Morgan followed up with us several times to make sure we were adjusting to life at home and taking care of ourselves.

From the moment we hired her, Morgan was responsive to questions by text, phone, and email, putting in a lot of legwork researching concerns that arose and conferring with her colleagues. This was huge for us.

Overall, we felt that Morgan truly listened to us and supprted us in all the ways we needed. We would work with her again in a heartbeat, and we recommend her to anyone looking for a supportive, personalized doula experience. Thank you, Morgan!

Kate D

6/9/2022

Since I was expecting my second child and planned to do everything “exactly the same” as with my first, I debated whether I truly needed a doula this time around… and I am so thankful that we chose to work with Morgan for this birth!

During our prenatal visit, she helped me emotionally process my older child’s birth and to reflect on what I would do the same or differently. She was so patient to really listen to all our concerns and goals even when I kept thinking of “just one more question for you.” As a parent herself, Morgan knows how to share her own birth experiences and listen to yours in a way that makes you feel seen and validated. She acknowledges that birth can be beautiful AND hard at the same time. 

I didn’t get to experience Morgan’s typical labor support because I ended up needing an emergency C-section. Still, we were SO GRATEFUL to have her with us in the hospital. She provided invaluable emotional support to my husband during the procedure, and she was able to stay with me afterwards so that he could accompany our baby to the NICU. Her constant communication via text with him about how the baby and I were doing in those first hours was so reassuring for both of us during an incredibly scary time.

Morgan came really prepared with tons of resources that she had researched. She was so responsive via email and text before and after the birth and helped us with random questions that came up and with providing referrals. Anything she didn’t know offhand, she looked up for us and came back with an answer. So I felt that she provided a great mix of practical and emotional support.She is obviously so passionate about birth with a desire to continue expanding her knowledge and professional development.  We would 100% recommend Morgan!

CarolAnn O'Connor

6/8/2022

Morgan was so knowledgable and supportive.  I am a nurse in OB/GYN and had a lot of fears and anxities related to my pregnancy and birth.  Morgan worked off my strengths and knowledge to support both myself and my husband.  She made sure to ask thoughtful questions and address our needs.  My birth experience was a very positive experience and I know Morgan had a great deal to do with that.  Her presence was so comforting and calming and I would higly recommend her!

Erin Carter

9/27/2021

Morgan supported myself and my family in the home birth of our second baby in May 2021. We interviewed a few doulas and as soon as we started talking with her we knew she was the one! She has a beautiful passion for all things birth. Her curiosity, openness, warmth, flexibility and relaxed attentiveness made us immediatly comfortable with her. We wanted an adaptable birth plan that could accomodate the unpredictable variable of our 3 year old daughter! As a mother herself, Morgan was wonderful with our daughter and her ability and willingness to take on whatever job (including supporting our 3 year old) might be needed when the time for labor came made me feel relaxed and confident that all bases would be covered as we prepared for birth. 

Morgans presence always felt deeply relaxing and supportive. She attended a few prenatal appointments with me. She always listened so closely and had such attuned intuition about how to support me. After one appointment she saw how much worry I was holding and simply offered a hug, which was what allowed me to feel and release the feelings I hadnt been allowing myself to feel. She texted me later that day and offered to meet me for a walk and offered to just listen to me say all my worries and fears about labor and birth. It was just what I needed, and helped me so much to see what I needed to do to feel more prepared, and also helped me to see it was time to just let go of the rest of the worries, and recognize that I had set up an amazing birth support team and that I would be supported and could handle whatever happened. 

Morgans easy going, gentle, knowledgeable, kind presence would be a gift to any birthing family! I whole heartedly recommend her! 

Danielle Marine

8/13/2021

Morgan was an amazing Doula to work with. Even though we started working together during COVID and quarantine, she was super nice and supportive right from the start. She really wanted to know what was important to me regarding my birth and was very generous with materials and resources to help me along the way. Even before I went into labor, she was incredibly easy to reach via text. She always responded quickly and was eager to help resolve whatever question or issue I had that day.

Before my induction, we talked in depth about my birth plan and expectations. Honestly, I didn't have too many expectations, but Morgan went through each item with me to make sure we were both on the same page. When I had questions, she informed me of my options and helped me make my own decisions.l

Morgan worked with me during my first (and currently only) pregnancy/labor and I had to be induced. I was warned that induction might take a while, so Morgan let me have my space until I needed her. When labor finally started kicking in (THREE days after being induced!), she came to the hospital and immediately jumped in to help ease my pain. She would always ask if I wanted something, but wasn't afraid to jump in when I wasn't in the mindset to make a decision. She provided so many forms of pain reduction: light massages, lower back pressure release, a portable fan, hot water in the bath, and so much more. She was always on me to keep breathing - something you wouldn't think you need reminding of!

Morgan is extrememly knowledgeable and helps you make your own decisions about this wonderful moment in life. I never once felt silly or judged when I asked questions and she always emphasized that she is there to support me and what I wanted from my labor. From pain management to taking pictures of those first sweet moments with your baby, she is willing to help you through it all. I can't recommend Morgan enough - she is an amazing Doula!

Birth Availability for Morgan Hayward, CD(DONA)

= Available. Calendar last updated: 11-08-2024