Testimonial for Jenn Fantasia, CLC
I thought I was prepared going into childbirth — my spouse and I had taken an eight-week birthing class, in addition to four or five classes at our hospital on everything from birth to post-partum care to breastfeeding. And yet, when my labor actually started, nothing matched what I had been taught: there was no pattern to my contractions, no space between some of them, and I found myself wholly unprepared mentally and emotionally for the kind of pain I was in. I was just scared. Having Jenn at my side felt like a literal lifesaver. I honestly don't know how I would have gotten through it all without her. She kept me as calm as possible, helped me focus on getting through each contraction one at a time, reminded me to try different positions to see what might help me to cope, and reminded me that I could do this (and that I was doing it with each breath). She knew exactly what I needed to hear and how to support me while allowing the midwife and other staff to do their jobs as well.
We also hired Jenn as a post-partum doula, and honestly that was the best decision I ever made about my entire pregnancy. Through every up and down — the sleep deprivation, the first-timer panic and self-doubt at every little cough or symptom the baby had, the learning curve of breastfeeding — she was right there with information, encouragement, resources, and support. Even though a lot of the information I needed was already in the well-organized binder she had given us pre-natally, she never made me feel bad for not looking it up, she just brought copies of what I needed when I needed it and went over everything with me until I felt calm and well equipped. Again, she was a total lifesaver.
Becoming a parent for the first time is HARD. Jenn helped us get through it with evidence-based information and a lot of experience, but also with a huge amount of compassion, patience, and humor. I would work with her again in a heartbeat.
-Julie Steele
March 19, 2018
Jenn Fantasia, CLC
Calming Tides Doula, LLC
Birth Fee: $1800 to $2300
