In planning to give birth for the first time, I aspired to have a natural birth in a hospital setting. To best equip myself up for this, I knew hiring a doula was a smart idea (though some folks close to me thought it was overkill). To match my personality, I wanted a doula that was both physically and mentally strong. Matilda embodies those characteristics fully. In our prenatal meetings, she was warm, direct, and candid, and earned the confidence of both my husband and I. She was caring and thorough without being “touchy-feely,” which fit our communication style perfectly. In describing her birth experiences, I knew that she had seen and could guide us through any possible contingency that might arise.
The day our son was born, Matilda and I kept in touch via text messages throughout the morning and afternoon as I experienced early labor at home. Matilda was really good about checking in but also respecting my space and needs. Around 6PM, my husband and I headed to the hospital, and Matilda met us there. As a first-time mom, we anticipated that we’d all be there into the wee hours for baby to arrive. Little did we know, that baby had another plan. While waiting in triage to be admitted, my contractions sped up considerably. I dilated from 3cm to pushing in less than 2 hours, and at 8:49pm baby was born! Without Matilda swooping into action, I doubt either my husband or I would have been able to maintain our cool during such an intense ramping up of labor! Additionally, Matilda was also able to advocate for me when the medical team was caught off-guard / slightly disbelieving that I was ready to push so quickly.
My birth experience was everything I hoped it would be and that is in big part thanks to Matilda. I would whole-heartedly recommend Matilda to anyone who is looking for a strong, no-nonsense doula.
-Mia King Mlekarov
April 21, 2014
Matilda Doula Services
Birth Fee: $2400