Hiring Jo Ann as a virtual doula was one of the best decisions my partner and I made during my pregnancy and the birth of our son. As an anxious first time mom who planned to give birth in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew I wanted as much support as possible. Jo Ann met with my partner and I over video chat to discuss our intentions for the birth and to get to know our unique needs. Even though things progressed quickly and unexpectedly in the hospital and we didn't have the time to connect with Jo Ann during labor, I was particularly appreciative of the preparation, encouragement, resources, tools, and compassionate listening ear (when I was being faced with an unwanted induction), that she provided before, immediately before and after the birth. She never told us what to do, but helped me cultivate and strengthen my autonomy and voice. I'm convinced that her support enabled us to have a physiological, drug-free birth -- something that I never thought would be possible at the beginning of my pregnancy. Most of all, Jo Ann helped give me (and my partner) confidence when we both had little, then gave us concrete tools like Spinning Babies and a virtual synchronous childbirth class to put us on the path that we wanted. She helped us learn about pregnancy and birth in a way that was tailored to us and stayed present with us, never judging, as our mindset changed throughout the pregnancy from one that prioritized a medical mindset earlier on to more of a physiological birth later on. The day our son was born was the best day of my life and Jo Ann undoubetdly contributed to making that happen in a way that made me proud of myself. She was available for us postpartum to answer any questions and go over any challenges we experienced. Even though her support was entirely virtual, Jo Ann made herself as available as possible, which was more than sufficient for us. I can't recommend her to others enough.
-Kat
October 22, 2020
Jo Ann Bishop, Doula LLC
Birth Fee: $1500 to $1850
Postpartum Rate: $40 to $50