When my husband and I were interviewing doulas for my first childbirth, we were looking for someone who made us both feel calm and at ease -- a quality that's hard to see on a resume but that I'd call "chemistry". Also, it was important to me that my husband feel that he could participate, but that he not feel pressured. As soon as Katharine walked in we both felt a sense of relief and newfound confidence. She put me at ease with her warmth and kindness, and she just seemed relaxed in a way that made me feel instantly comfortable. Katharine is experienced and knowledgeable, but was also very open to our ideas and needs. When the time came, she was with me at night as I labored at home, talking me through the contractions and breathing. At the hospital Katharine was by my side the whole way, explaining waht the nurses were doing, laughing at my lame jokes, and offering suggestions that made me feel comfortable and in control. For example, since I seemed more comfortable squatting and in the dark, she said I could go into the bathroom alone, rest on the toilet and use the railing as a squat bar. It wouldn't have occurred to me to do that, but I felt stronger and more centered when I did! Katharine made sure we were both drinking and eating enough, and that my husband felt useful in the delivery room. With her support he was rested and by my side the whole way.
There were a million things that I hadn't "prepared" for that Katharine had: she put my husband to bed while we labored so he'd be rested, she knew ways I could get to and sit in the car while in labor, had an extra birthing ball handy (with a cloth cover!) when mine went flat , and gave me soothing bath tinctures for afterwards. We found moments of humor, but overall the mood was intense, intimate, and vulnerable, so I am glad that I chose a person who allowed me to experience that range of emotions without feeling embarrassed or awkward. I highly recommend Katharine as a birth doula.
-Kate Moxham
July 20, 2015
Dare Alla Luce Doula
Birth Fee: Not specified