Testimonial for Noleen Thurman CD(DONA) & Birth Photographer
As a first time mom with a Type A Personality I wanted to be well prepared for childbirth. In addition to childbirth classes hiring a doula seemed like a good idea, but I felt conflicted about making the decision to hire one. Both my husband and I wanted to be sure it was worth the expense and that the person we hired would truly be supportive of our wishes. I was also concerned a doula might be too "hippy-dippy." After speaking with Noleen, I was impressed by her knowledge and felt that the information and support she provided was evidence-based. So we decided to hire her. Around 34 weeks our baby fell behind in growth. This wasn't too concerning for me, since I am small myself. But when it happened again in week 39, I was concerned and felt it was probably best to agree to an induction. This was something I had been dreading and praying would not happen. With less than 48 hours to a scheduled induction I informed Noleen of what was going on and she provided me with information about my options. She recommended trying a natural remedy to start labor. The next morning I tried it in a last ditch effort to avoid an induction the following day. In four hours labor began and our baby arrived just three hours later. With things moving so quickly it was comforting to have someone to speak to when I wasn't completely certain of what was going on. While Noleen was not present for the birth due to our babies swift arrival, I was glad to have Noleen reassuring me when labor started. Noleen met us at the hospital and took beautiful photographs. In retrospect, I can say that I am relieved and happy I hired Noleen. Without her recommendation I could have ended up with a medical induction and other unnecessary interventions.
-Amanda Lauck Bryant
October 08, 2017
Noleen Thurman CD(DONA) & Birth Photographer
Doula Noleen
Birth Fee: $1600 to $2700
