Testimonial for Char Perkins RN LCCE, CD(DONA)
My husband and I are so thankful that we chose Char to be our birth doula! She provided invaluable support before, during, and even after labor and delivery. During my pregnancy, it was extremely helpful to be able to contact Char about questions pertaining to my pregnancy and symptoms I was experiencing. Given her nursing background and extensive experience, I knew I could trust her input, and that was so reassuring for a nervous first-time mom! In fact, Char was the one who had urged me to call my doctor when I doubted whether my water had broken (and thank goodness she did, because it had!) Char was expeditious in responding to calls, texts or emails, and always provided sound advice. My labor and delivery progressed extremely fast, and I am so thankful Char was there to help us through it. She served as an advocate on our behalf, summoning the nurses when she realized (before they did) that I had entered the transition phase of labor and requesting that they check my dilation. She helped suggest comfort techniques to my husband, so he could be a contributing part of the labor/delivery process. Most importantly, she provided support and reassurance to me, which enabled me to remain (relatively) calm and feel as though I had some semblance of control over the situation. Although my labor only lasted for a few hours, I feel that we got more than our money’s worth. I was extremely nervous about having a ‘stranger’ in the delivery room, but Char made me feel completely at ease from the first time we spoke, and now I cannot imagine going through it without her. I was terrified of the prospect of a vaginal delivery and now I look back on it and am proud of what I accomplished, and I credit much of that to Char. She helped to transform what I initially viewed as a completely traumatizing experience into one I now consider the most amazing and miraculous (albeit painful!) one of my life. We will DEFINITELY be hiring Char for our future births.
-Sarah Herrea
November 12, 2011