Testimonial for Carling Sothoron
My wife and I were initially debating on whether or not we wanted a doula present for our first birth. We were concerned that having a stranger in the room would potentially not only make us uncomfortable, but would distract from what we wanted to be a natural process.
We stumbled upon Carling's practice, Chesapeake Birth, and decided to meet with her to better judge if a doula would fit with our vision. We were both immediately comfortable with Carling. Carling gave us a great overview of what to expect from her over the coming weeks and for the big day. Following this introduction, we knew we wanted Carling there with us. We had a vision for how we wanted our first birth to go, and we believed Carling could help see us through it.
Our vision of a smooth, natural birth was systematically picked apart by reality. Through it all however, Carling was a rock we leaned upon heavily. From hour 7 of labor at home, when the time between contractions was shortening and we were preparing to go to the hospital, to hour 30 when an epidural was requested to help my wife survive the pitocin the doctors recommended after labor stalled at 7 cm, to hour 40 where all progress had stalled and a cesarean was required because three hours of pushing still hadn’t moved the baby down far enough, Carling was there offering support, guidance, pain management, and a calming presence. Carling helped us get through this birth. She helped guide my wife through the expected pains, and the pains of having to let go of the idealized visions we had. Carling helped calm me and guide me to be a more effective supporter for my incredible wife, who was in the middle of the greatest fight of her life.
To anyone on the fence of whether to hire a doula, I can comfortably say that Carling was well worth the investment. Should my wife and I have a second child in Maryland, I would not hesitate to have Carling by our side again.
-Matt Daigneault
December 11, 2017
Carling Sothoron
Chesapeake Birth
Birth Fee: $1600 to $2000
Postpartum Rate: $35 to $50
