Testimonial for Dana Oakes-Sand AS, CCE, MCD, NMPP, IPES
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On January 7th I gave birth to a healthy little girl. This is a simple sentence but the process itself was long and difficult and began the day my husband and I found out we were expecting our first child. We were understandably nervous about raising a child and, more pressingly, going through pregnancy and childbirth. On the suggestion of a friend we decided to look into hiring a doula who would guide us through pregnancy and labor. After meeting with Dana for the first time in our home my husband and I knew that she would be the perfect support person. Our monthly meetings with Dana allowed us to ask our “silly” first timer questions and have reassurance that a medication free labor, which was what I wanted, was achievable. My husband was admittedly apprehensive about the idea of a labor without pain medications. However, knowing that Dana would be in the delivery room with us turned him around to the idea.
My active labor lasted for 22 hours, the last two of which were exclusively pushing. Since my water broke before contractions began I went to the hospital and arrived at 3 cm dilated. I was given Pitocin to “get things going”. Slowly but surely my contractions began to ramp up, shifting from being short “not so bad” to very painful. While my husband, parents, and the nurses and doctors were great helps, it was when Dana and her apprentice, Harmony arrived that all of the mindfulness, deep breathing, and inner strength I’d hoped to bring into my labor were truly put into action. As they arrived about halfway through my labor I was in intense pain and was starting to say that I needed an epidural. When I saw their faces I knew that I could move forward with my original plan.
-Rachel Goldfarb
February 15, 2016
Dana Oakes-Sand AS, CCE, MCD, NMPP, IPES
Rushes Doula Service
Birth Fee: $1200 to $2350
Postpartum Rate: $35 to $45
