Testimonial for Maria Armstrong, LCCE, CD
As first time parents we knew that we wanted to work with a doula. When we found Maria & read about her birth philosophy we knew we wanted to reach out. Maria listened earnestly to our goals, hesitations, & fears. We felt so comforted by her confidence, demeanor & expertise we knew we wanted to work with her before the meet and greet was over.
I wanted to have an unmedicated labor & I knew that deciding to birth at a hospital might impact that goal. Maria took the time to make the (far!) drive out to our home before delivery to get to know us on a personal level and really helped us prepare, gave us the confidence to advocate for ourselves, ease our anxieties, & helped us feel excited and empowered to take on labor. ??I went into labor early at 36 weeks, & found myself in a situation I had not prepared for. Facing pressure to induce and a derailment of how I had envisioned labor, Maria was a grounding and calming voice responding to all of our frantic phone calls and texts & reminded us of our preparation as well as providing resources that helped us navigate the unexpected circumstances of premature labor. ?
I ended up delivering our healthy baby girl unmedicated just as I had hoped. It all happened so fast, but Maria made it to the hospital within the hour at 3 AM ready to guide me through pushing. Her presence was grounding, reassuring & empowering. Not only for me, but for my partner as well. I truly feel like labor and delivery would have gone differently had we not had Maria on our team to help us navigate our options.
Maria was an invaluable part of our team & would recommend her to any parents looking for a doula who takes an evidence based approach with a reverence for the power that women intrinsically have to handle labor with minimal intervention. I left the hospital feeling proud and content with my birth & Maria helped me get there.
Thank you, Maria!
-Harriet Postlethwaite
January 30, 2025
Maria Armstrong, LCCE, CD
Agape Birth Services
Birth Fee: $2250
