My wife and I used a doula for the birth of our daughter, and found her to be a great help in preparing as first-time parents. That actual delivery was such a smooth experience, that I felt we didn't need much assistance during the process of welcoming our first daughter into the world.
At the recommendation of a friend, we asked MaryBeth to be our doula when my wife became pregnant with our second child, and were delighted to learn that there was still much more that she was able to offer to us as we prepared to welcome our second. MaryBeth's help was critical in planning/preparing. She was always easy to contact, and kept us "in the loop" over the weeks and months leading up to the birth.
Ultimately, this birth turned out to be full of complications, but MaryBeth was there for us every step of the way, running the gamut between offering background support or taking charge, somehow always anticipating exactly what we needed at the moment. My wife had a very fast, precipitous birth, and after a quick phone call to MaryBeth, she took care of working with the staff at Upper Chesapeake to have them prepare for our arrival... one less thing for us to worry about. When we arrived, MaryBeth was able to recognize the signs that things were moving along quickly, and helped to expedite the process of getting my wife through triage. My wife's experience was very unlike the birth of our first daughter, and she was losing the confidence she'd had during that birth. As a husband, I was able to focus entirely on being my wife's main support, while MaryBeth advocated for us in every other way, and was there for my wife when she needed a little extra support that I couldn't offer, as well. There were also complications post-birth, and MaryBeth called and checked in with us through the following days, making sure everything was taken care of. Her help was absolutely invaluable through the whole process, especially the birth itself.
-Lucas Walther
October 18, 2016
Changing Birth
Birth Fee: $725 to $1000