Testimonial for Devon Handel
At our initial meeting with Devon, I told her that my main goal was to have a vaginal birth, but that I had a lot of anxiety about this. I also told her that my preference was to give birth in a hospital setting and that I planned to have an epidural for pain relief. Devon responded to this by telling me, “This is your birth.” She explained that her job was to enhance our birth experience according to our own vision, whatever that may be.
Our prenatal visit with Devon covered a huge number of topics including pain management, exercises for preparing for labor, and what to expect from both vaginal and C-section births. She continued to ask us questions about how we envisioned the birth, and these questions really did help guide my husband and me through issues we had not yet addressed.
During labor, Devon kept me moving and helped the time pass remarkably quickly. I walked, bounced on the birthing ball, stretched, lunged, and squatted, relaxed in the shower, and danced. Most important was the massage - every time I started having a contraction, Devon would apply a lot of pressure to my hips and lower back, and this significantly helped me manage the pain. I am so proud that I was able to remain calm and upbeat throughout labor and I absolutely credit Devon for this. When I did eventually decide that it was time for an epidural, Devon never attempted to discourage me from this and I greatly appreciated that. As I was pushing, Devon assisted the nurses by suggesting various positions and encouraging me with every contraction.
I would highly recommend Devon as a birth doula to anyone who is looking to get the most out of their birth experience. My memories of giving birth to my daughter are overwhelmingly positive, in large part due to my outstanding birth team. I felt so comfortable with Devon, and her presence in the room helped me to maintain that inner calm that I believe is the reason that I was able to achieve my goals.
-Stephanie Westen
June 14, 2016
Devon Handel
Birth and Breath
Birth Fee: $1250 to $2000
