Testimonial for Carli Mellentine
I was initially under the impression that my wife and I didn't need the services of a doula. I believed a team of excellent doctors and nurses would be enough. I'm an engineer with a strong analytical background so a healthy baby and a healthy mother were my priorities. I was also afraid that having a doula might set up a potential conflict with the doctors and nurses.
My first impressions of Carli put my concerns about conflict with our doctors and nurses at ease: she is well aware of where of where a doula's responsibilities end and where a doctor's begin. Carli established a friendly and comfortable rapport with my wife right away but I put up a wall. Despite this, Carli persisted in putting my wife's well being first. That's when I realized that she was really there to help.
When my wife started going into active labor, I saw just how absolutely necessary it was to have Carli there. Doctors and nurses simply can't provide the essential emotional encouragement to have a natural birth that my wife needed. Carli immediately established a connection with my wife and was able to reassure her that what my wife was feeling was normal. Carli helped my wife in a way that I couldn't because she has experience in helping so many women come to terms with the emotional and psychological aspects of giving birth. When labor becomes overwhelming, she can point to an experience or provide coping mechanisms or suggest an alternative approach. She knew my wife well enough to be able to judge which of the myriad approaches would work best. The best value from her services was in providing emotional and psychological support that comes from experience and from really caring.
Carli went above and beyond what I expected in providing an outstanding level of care and support - and I expected a lot. I am extremely grateful that Carli was there with us. A big part of my wife's postpartum emotional well-being is a result of Carli's actions.
-Behram
July 21, 2019
Carli Mellentine
Willow Tree Doula Services
Birth Fee: $1600 to $2000
