Megan

1/29/2024

Bethany is amazing! My birth was absolutely perfect and I could not have done it without her. She is very knowledgeable on laboring positions and was able to help labor progress.

Kat Head

1/26/2024

I was so thankful for the support and resources I gained from Wichita Family Birth Support Doulas in preparing for my third birth as a natural one. Bethany was a godsend during labor, making sure that I had plenty of ways to manage my pain, progress my labor, and feel supported to accomplish my goal through the toughest parts.

Marie Baldessari

1/25/2024

When Caleb and I found out we were expecting we were excited but also nervous! We wanted the birth to go smoothly. There was so much information out there it was hard to know where to start. Luckily one of my Air Force coworkers let me know that Tricare was now covering having a doula at birth. My coworker gave me Bethany’s information and I instantly reached out to her. Not only did she make the  process of working with Tricare easy to follow, but also she educated us on important topics around birth and provided so many useful resources. On the day of my birth, Bethany supported all my decisions. Although my original plan for an unmedicated birth changed, she continued to make me feel supported. Bethany kept me moving after the epidural and used the different tools like the peanut ball to help the baby keep moving along. The rest of my birth went very quickly and I was so grateful to have Bethany there to help us! There weren’t many lactation consultants at the hospital that weekend so Bethany even helped give me some great direction on getting breast feeding started. I am so glad we used the Tricare benefit of having a doula at our birth and I would definitely recommend Bethany!

Anna Kuhn

12/21/2023

Bethany was wonderful to work with! She helped keep me calm and focused when contractions become more intense. She also helped guide my husband in his support during the labor process. We also used her postpartum services which was a Godsend for recovery and getting a nap in. Bethany has a warm and caring nature about her that makes you feel comforted in the birthing process. 

Kali Benoit

12/14/2023

Bethany was our doula for the birth of our first baby. Not only was she a motivating, calming, and supportive presence during the labor and delivery of our baby boy, she also helped by answering any of our questions in the months leading up to delivery. She is incredibly knowledgeable of all the potential interventions and provided us with evidence-based resources to help guide our decision making. We feel incredibly blessed to have her present on one of the biggest days of our lives. We even had the additional bonus of her services being covered by Tricare! We look forward to staying in touch and using her for the birth of our next baby.

Josie Eck

11/22/2023

Bethany was our doula for the delivery of our first baby. Our birth took place at home, so we knew we wanted the best people to support us through such a new experience. Bethany was wonderful. She has such a warm and calm presence. She was very encouraging throughout labor, and provided the exact support my husband and I needed. Our labor picked up very quickly. Luckily, Bethany was so easy to reach, and she was at our home right away. Not only was she amazing support during labor, but leading up to the big day as well. She is so knowledgeable on all birth options and decisions that we came across during pregnancy. She had evidence based answers to all of our questions. She was supportive of our birth choices and made me feel confident in our decisions. We feel so blessed that we had her with us on such an important day. We can’t wait to see Bethany again for our next baby.

Nicole Swope

10/26/2022

As a milspouse having extra support was imperative as this was our first birth experience. Bethany was easy and helpful to work with from the preparations for the labor and the birth. This was especially necessary as my labor was quite long and lasted for 5 days while dilation moved very slowly even though the contractions did not. Through a very frustrating and exhausting slow progression of labor; it was so comforting to be able to have the doula available to answer questions, guide us into helpful positions, while providing extra perspective while having to make new decisions as changes had to be made to the birth plan. When Bethany arrived to help with the labor support I cried tears of relief to know that I had someone beside me through my most vulnerable moments who could well understand what was going on.

Courtney Sturm

6/13/2022

Words can’t describe how grateful I am that we found Bethany to support us through pregnancy, labor and delivery! She was knowledgeable, compassionate, and beyond encouraging through our entire journey. I definitely struggled with fear, being a first time Mom who was set on having an unmedicated birth.  Bethany reassured me every step of the way, offering helpful tools, while holding space for me when I had doubts and didn’t think I could do it! My birth went exactly how I’d hope and I’m not sure it would’ve without her! I would definitely work with her again in the future and hope every family can experience the support we felt with her as our doula.

Elise Meyer

1/2/2022

Bethany helped me have my dream birth experience! I decided late in my pregnancy that I wanted to have a doula at my birth. I was induced early with my first because of hypertension. Because of that I was skeptical that I could actually have a natural birth without an epidural. However, every meeting with Bethany helped calm my fears. She was giving me great advice before I had even hired her. You could tell she cared about helping women have healthy pregnancies and helping women advocate for themselves. She gave me advice about how to prevent hypertension, exercises to get baby in good positions, and great pain management techniques. From the beginning of labor she was there for the long haul. She helped me navigate the early parts of labor and helped calm me down when I didn’t think I could do it anymore. If you are thinking about getting a doula I would definitely recommend Bethany. I felt like she had my back through the whole process.

Derek Birney

5/2/2021

As a first time dad, I couldn't be more pleased to have had Bethany as our Doula! She was so kind, compassionate and informative throughout pregnancy, labor, and after our little baby boy arrived. She walked alongside both of us throughout the entire process, and even showed me how I could best care for my wife the entire time. She empowered us to have the birth that we had dreamed of! Bethany helped us to have a wonderful birth without any complications! From a dad, thank you, Bethany! To a dad, hire Bethany!

Sammi

2/5/2021

Bethany was an invaluable support during our pregnancy! We had several unexpected challenges where she was able to bring guidance and encouragement at just right time. Her support during labor was incredible - she kept my body moving and provided emotional support for both my husband and I! You will not regret the wisdom, encouragement, education, support and friendship your family gains in hiring a doula! ?? thank you Bethany!!!

Josh M

9/11/2019

The following is a message to all first time dads... get a Doula. My wife and I recently had our first child and I can not begin to explain to you how much more prepared, excited, and relieved I was to have Bethany by my side as we both supported my wife through her pregnancy.

The day my Baby Girl arrived Bethany was not only my family’s best resource, cheerleader, and advocate, but partner in arms as we navigated the gauntlet that is natural child birth in a hospital. I can not thank her enough for her words of encouragement and her true servant’s heart.

So in summary... get a Doula. If you are reading this and don’t know what one is talk to Bethany and learn. You will thank me later.

Diana Hudson

7/1/2019

Being a first-time mom, I read every book I could find, researched every pregnancy/birthing blog, and asked hundreds of questions to my mom friends. As much as these things can help prepare you, they don’t always prepare you for the unexpected. That’s why I am so happy I chose to hire a doula, and a wonderful doula, Bethany. I had a lot of information packed in my brain so she was invaluable helping me understand options when the time came. Way better than trying to reference back to some chapter in some book when you are in the heat of the moment! She was not only great support for me, but my husband as well. Also, all the nurses adored having her. I highly recommend hiring Bethany!!!

Kaila Smith

4/12/2019

Bethany is an amazing person to have supporting you during labor. She has a very calming presence and helped me to find my inner strength during the hardest parts of my labor. She prayed for me and stayed with me during my hospital transfer. I didn’t think I needed a doula at the beginning of my pregnancy but I really am happy I had one. She also helped my husband to support me during labor. She was an essential part of my labor and delivery. You will not be disappointed if you hire her to be your doula. She truly cares for her clients.

Jamie swanson

2/25/2019

Bethany is amazing! We hired her for our fifth birth because we wanted extra support in our plan to go natural at the hospital. She became so much more than another professional in the room, she became part of the family. My kids love when they get to see her and you can tell she truly loves what she does. I fully believe the spinning babies she did with me motivated my baby to come out and shortened the labor. Bethany stayed in contact after the birth and prayed for our family as we navigated having a baby in the NICU for unforeseen complications and her support then was very cherished.  I can not recommend her enough and can’t imagine ever doing birth another way! 

Marc& Madeline Suderman

2/6/2019

My sister-in-law referred me to Bethany when I was looking for a doula. The second I met her I knew I didn't need to look any further!! Bethany is so knowledgeable about birth, labor tips and tricks, and postpartum. Her support throughout my pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum has helped me immensely. I couldn't imagine giving birth without her support and encouragement.

Jeff Eck

12/13/2018

Words cannot begin to express my gratitude for Bethany and Mary! When everything, and I mean everything, on the wife and I's birth plan went the complete opposite Bethany was there by our side helping us both to cope and work through the successful birth of our son! From there both her and Mary came to visit us in the hospital a couple times, partly because we "enjoyed" an extra long stay.

In terms of postpartum care at the house there is no price tag that equals the value that her presence has been to me as a father who has returned to work. Not only did I feel a peace of miind that my wife would have assistance, even if that just meant being able to take a nap or shower, but it was a relief to know she had someone there to support her without judgment. Husbands... PAY FOR POSTPARTUM CARE! You will thank me later!

Rachel LaFever

11/16/2018

Bethany was essential in helping me feel good about my birth decisions and about my birth experience. As a first-time mom, I felt like I was on information overload sometimes. I just wanted to do everything the right way, and I felt like I was totally out of my element! It was so helpful to have Bethany there to help me identify and achieve what I really wanted, especially when it became a medical necessity to deviate from my birth plan. My husband loved having her there as much as I did, since he was very worried about not knowing the "right" way to support me during labor.

Also cannot recommend her postpartum doula services enough! For me it has really put my mind at ease to have that extended support postpartum, since the first few weeks are such a huge adjustment.

Shirls D.

4/20/2018

Bethany did a great job just helping me be calm and just helped

boost my confidence when everything about my delivery went

different then what I had wanted. Was comforting to have her there

And afterwards to answer questions!

amanda harter

1/25/2018

My husband and I could not be more thankful that we chose to go with Wichita Family Birth Support for both our childbirth classes and are Doula services. I was very nervous about childbirth especially as this was our first kiddo. They provided me with education, support and guidance throughout the full pregnancy and I could not have felt any more prepared for labor than I did with their help. We are beyond thankful for the positive preganacy and birth experience that we had. Bethany and Mary both genuinely care about their clients, they take time to get to know you and your personal preferences and give unbiased support based on that. I highly recommend both of them without any reservation and know that they will be a great support team for their future clients.

Melissa Virts Rolfs

1/8/2018

Bethany and Mary were wonderful to work with. They made me feel comfortable and supported during my pregnancy. During labor, Mary was very supportive and encouraging and her tips and tricks really helped keep my labor progressing and gave me the support I needed to achieve the unmedicated VBAC I had been planning. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a doula!

Chelsea Hirsch

9/6/2017

Both Bethany and Mary where super sweet and supportive during and after my pregnancy. I am so thankful that I had Bethany to help reassure me when issues during our pregnancy came up and although I was scheduled for a c-section due to complications it was comforting knowing she was there for our family!

Melissa Krehbiel

4/4/2017

Bethany was our rock through a long labor. I was so glad to have her by my side. She provided wonderful physical and emotional support when we needed it most.

Deanna Lanier

2/4/2017

I cannot express how grateful I was to have both Bethany and Mary to help me through my labor and delivery. I was nervous through all of the meetings and unsure if I really needed or wanted a doula, but I was trying for a VBAC and I just remembered my first labor with my other child and wanted to have a completely opposite delivery. They were always so nice at the meetings and gave helpful tips and answered any questions I may have had. Well our son decided to make an early appearance and I remember everything Bethany had mentioned to me about laboring at home and so forth. We kept in contact through out the day and finally it was time to go to the hospital. Bethany met us in the elevator on our way up and started rubbing my back and helping me breath right away. She kept me and my husband calm and Mary showed up she was a great help telling me I could do this and doing whatever I told her I thought would help. The whole birth story was almost surreal as it was quick and more than I could have asked for because I was not opposed to using some intervention but with their help I had an all natural successful VBAC and I could not be more happy with everything that happened in that late night/early morning hours. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for helping me, praying for me and being there to help get my little guy into this world.

Rebecca Baker (Beccababydoll2011)

10/17/2016

My third labor was the best by far! Bethany helped me in so many ways and I would definitely recommend her!

Melanie Brown

10/5/2016

She was amazing! She was so supportive and helpful during my birth.  I cant imagine doing a birth without having her there as my doula.  She was prepared and calm the whole time.  She had a honey stick that gave me that last little bit of energy to push the baby out (seriously it was a life saver!).  I will definitely be using her again if/when I have my second child!

Kayla Wolfe

10/4/2016

Bethany was great! Helped us feel very prepared for the birth of our child. Talked through our birth plan, visualized what we wanted experience to be, and practiced relaxation. Unfortunately ended up having a c section due to breech baby so instead Bethany helped with several hours postpartum care. Highly recommend Bethany to anyone looking for doula.

Xavia Warren

8/9/2016

My husband and I hired Bethany as our doula for our first birth and we were so happy we did! We clicked with Bethany right away and were impressed at every step by her attention to detail and concern for our wishes. Our son was born at 38 weeks and 2 days and while I ended up laboring for much longer than I expected and ultimately had to deviate from my plan to have an entirely natural, unmedicated birth, my overall experience was beautiful and, for the most part, peaceful, largely due to Bethany's knowledge and guidance. She not only helped me through the pain of labor and convinced me time and time again that I could get through it on my own (which I did for about 15 hours), but she also helped my husband to play an active role in my labor so that we could share the experience as fully as possible. I would highly recommend Bethany to anyone looking for a calming, experienced presence at their birth--regardless of the circumstances.

Veronica Kidd

7/17/2016

I was so grateful to have Bethany as my doula for my birth! We had a waterbirth at home and Bethany was such a comfort throughout the entire process. She anticipated my needs and provided amazing support throughout my labor and birth. She really took the time to get to know my husband and me and invest in learning our desires for birth. Though I ended up not wanting much physical touch during my labor Bethany was a solid rock of support. Her words kept me in a place of focus and provided me with the encouragement and confidence I needed. She was constantly looking out for me and seemed to know just what I needed without requiring me to ask. She even brought us a meal at her postpartum visit! She is extremely knowledgeable and was a wonderful resource I am so glad to have had such wonderful support before, during, and after our special day!

Jamie Amaral

7/1/2016

We had the pleasure of having Bethany as our post-partum doula. She was amazing. Our son was born prematurely and was very collicky. He didn't sleep unless someone was holding him for months. Bethany would care for him through the night so I could sleep a bit. I don't know what we would have done without her. Her dedication, expertise and wonderful philosophy around birth and parenting guided us during the difficult days. We feel so lucky to have found her!

Stevie Cowgill

10/1/2015

I worked with Bethany for the first time and it was my second birth. Bethany was so easy to talk with and build a repoire with. She really blew me away with her pre-birth preparation! We met for consultation, than to talk with her as a couple. From there we were given a birth plan workbook to read and do together. It was a very helpful book in terms of learning or re-learning about the phases of labor, the importance of relaxation  expectations as well as birth plan guidance. Then she met with us again to discuss what we had learned and to go over relaxation techniques and practice together. I really benefited from working on the relaxation and re-working my own expectations of labor. I felt that she was very effective with that. I am a medical professional, so I tend to go more towards medical interventions, so there was some disagreement on what the book had to say about certain things. As far as the labor, Bethany did an awesome job. I had a very quick and intense labor (3 hrs), but she gave me a lot of pain rellied during that time. I would definetly recommend her!

Misty Randolph

7/6/2015

I hired Bethany to be my Doula during my pregnancy, labor and delivery of my second child. I had a horrible experience during the labor and delivery with my first son. I had wanted a natural birth the first time around, but decisions were taken away from me. The second time around I wanted decisions to remain in my hands if at all possible. The first thing I did was pick and new OBGYN, and the second thing I did was hire Bethany as my doula.
I wanted a natural childbirth this time around. Bethany gave me tools to educate myself on the ins and outs of natural childbirth. Education is so important. It was a key ingredient missing in my first delivery, and Bethany knew the importance of being educated on everything from my rights as an OB patient to the newest research on newborn care. Throughout my delivery and newborn care.
During the labor and delivery, Bethany was priceless. She walked the halls with me. She encouraged me as my labor stalled. She helped me try positions and techniques to try to encourage labor along. Once the physician broke my water, labor became very intense and very fast. My husband was able to focus on me during the labor because he knew Bethany was reminding me of relaxation techniques and positions. He knew Bethany was reminding the healthcare team of my desires about having a natural birth. He didn’t feel like he needed to be anything more than a loving and helpful husband. He has already told me that he definitely wants to hire Bethany again for baby #3.
God answered my prayers in every way regarding the birth of my second son. Bethany was the answer to many of those prayers.

Jennifer Alegria

5/20/2015

From our first meeting I knew Bethany was a wonderful match for me and our birth. Bethany's calm and easy going personality was the perfect fit for my med free hospital birth. My labor proceeded quickly so Bethany met us at the hospital. She was quick and efficient and jumped right in to making sure I was comfortable and relaxed. The nurses spent 2hrs trying to get a needle in my vein and I was so happy to have Bethany's support during that time. She worked in harmony with the nurses and my OB. My OB even complimented her (this was the first time my OB had a doula present during a birth). Bethany was gentle, knowledgeable, and supportive to my family and myself. She did an awesome job of reading my body language and knew what I needed before I even knew. My birth would not have been as comfortable and manageable without her. She captured some wonderful moments of my birth with our camera. I am forever grateful to her for providing such wonderful support!

Carol Andrade Johnson

4/25/2015

Bethany was great! She was very knowledgeable and shared great resources with me and my husband to help us prepare for my unmedicated birth on short notice (we hired her at 37 weeks pregnant!) She was supportive over the phone as I labored at home and we agreed to meet at the hospital since my contractions were pretty close together. At the hospital she helped me with massages, positioning, and visualization techniques and had the foresight to ask for my phone during birth so she could capture my first precious moments with my baby girl. After we were settled in at home, she came to visit and later even gave me a typed up copy of my birth story. It was great to read and see how another perspective differed from my quickly fading memory! She has continued to be a great resource and friend. I would recommend her to everyone expectig a baby!

Rachel Patterson

1/15/2015

My husband and I chose Bethany to be our doula for the birth of our son. We were first time parents and were looking for someone to help us stay true to our wishes during his birth. At our first meeting with Bethany, she gave us a list of birthing books that she recommended. Ina May Gaskin's, Guide to Childbirth was one I choose to read off that list. That book resonnated with me, and from then on, I knew what type of birth I would like to have. We met with Bethany several times to discuss our hopes and fears regarding the birth of our son. We wanted all natural, so she connected us with two excellent teachers of The Bradley Method. Bethany even attended a couple of the classes with us.

Bethany came and did home visits with us to further discuss the birth. She helped us with our birth plan, gave us suggestions on what to pack for the hospital, and gave us evidence based research for any questions we had.

The birth of our son did not go exactly as intended, we had many interventions that my husband and I hadn't planned on. With each new scenerio that came up, Bethany kept us level headed. She helped us walk through the knowledge that we had to make informed decisions. No matter what we decided to do, she supported us. At a time of disorder and stress, Bethany brought about a calm environment filled with love.

Sapphire Garcia-Glancy

11/3/2014

Bethany was my doula for my most recent birth. Our first meeting was while I was in labor (though we could have met sooner, but labor begin sooner than I had planned). I didn't take any childbirth classes, so my knowledge of pain management techniques was minimal, but Bethany explained everything in a way that I was able to process quickly. She helped me work through contractions, and I managed to deliver my baby without pain medication of any kind. Bethany kept me calm, and I felt like she made a BIG difference during labor. While my family members in the room kept insisting that I was going to give in and ask for an epidural, Bethany kept reminding me that I was capable of handling labor on my own. She was especially helpful during my transition. It was helpful to have an advocate there who was familiar with natural labor. I could not have asked for a more supportive doula!

The neatest part was when I delivered, and Bethany had the foresight to take pictures for me with my phone. I wouldn't have thought to ask her to take pictures, but it's nice now to be able to look back and see those first moments of my baby's life.

Overall, my experience with Bethany was GREAT! She has such a calming presence, which is exactly what I needed during labor. I highly recommend her!