Testimonial for Rhonda Fellows
I'm a black woman and the statistics for black women and babies dying during childbirth are pretty grim. I was so anxious about not getting the care I needed and dying during childbirth.
My husband was pretty nervous about how to comfort me during birth, but When I told him to go stand in the corner and not talk to me, we all agreed it was time for Rhonda to arrive! From the moment she walked in, she was a calm and affirming presence. My husband would not have even thought to ask for ice water and cloths to rub on my arms and legs while I labored around my room. He wouldn't have known to push me to get up and move or try a warm bath while waiting for an epidural.
I pushed for almost 6 hours and I think without Rhonda there, I probably would have ended up with a c-section. She was so encouraging and empowering. Rhonda was able to point out trends I didn't have the capacity to notice, like which positions seemed to give the best progress and how I was doing better with some occasional sips of juice. I gave birth a Regions, which is a teaching hospital, which means there were lots of people around. In around hour 4 of pushing, a team of 4 ob-gyns came in to check on me (I was delivering with a midwife and student midwife) and Rhonda asked "do all 4 of these people need to examine her?". I was so grateful that she asked the question because I really wasn't in a great position to make decisions about what was happening and she made me feel safe. She also snapped some photos and I'm grateful someone did.
I was worried that a doula would be a waste of money, but it was worth every cent. I will be calling Rhonda if I ever have a round 2. She just knew when to crack a joke, share words of encouragement, and when to speak with conviction. She is a wonderful doula and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for support during their labor and deliver to
-Briana
September 29, 2019
Rhonda Fellows
Oily Doula LLC
Birth Fee: $1200 to $2500
