Testimonial for Devon Handel
I was committed to having a natural childbirth and knew that having a doula would help me to achieve that goal, but Devon proved to be key to my natural childbirth. This was my first time going through labor, and I had no idea how contractions would feel. They were intense, but Devon was all the "medicine" I needed during my 40 hours of unmedicated labor. She was completely present and engaged during each and every one of my contractions (except a few, when she took a very brief, desperately-needed nap at hour 37 or so, and handed the reins over to another one of my birth partners). It semed to me that Devon went above and beyond to help me through each contraction with both her expert hands-on assistance and her words. With Devon by my side, right there with me through each "wave," I never felt like I was going through the wildness of labor on my own--she was there, shouldering the intensity with me, and her skill in doing so was what allowed me to power on for as many hours as I did.
Also, Devon is immensely knowledgeable about natural health and wellness (to the extent you are interested), gentle, and has the physical strength and stamina to manage hundreds of double-hip-squeezes and other physical maneuvers and comfort measures for hours on end. She is also an assertive advocate for you with nurses, etc. should you need that. Devon was generous with her time and energy, much more so than I had anticipated. For example, when she offered to stop by for a visit after my water had broken and I was waiting for contractions to begin, I thought we might have a discussion about what to expect or how to prepare, but it ended up being a dense, multi-hour session of hands-on labor induction strategies and more.
In sum, Devon was a vital part of my birth team, and her dedication and skill helped me to cope. I also greatly appreciated her authentic commitment to natural health and wellness.
-A C
October 10, 2016
Devon Handel
Birth and Breath
Birth Fee: $1250 to $2000
