Testimonial for Martha Lanphear
Martha made all the difference in our birthing experience and we will forever be grateful for her presence at this time in our lives. Prenatally, she met with us twice and shared so much information that we never would have known otherwise, whether in prenatal class or online. She helped build my confidence as a Mom-to-be, and helped my husband build his confidence both as my partner and as a Dad-to-be. She encouraged me to trust my instincts and helped me better communicate with my healthcare providers. I was able to contact her as needed - she was genuine in her offer of essentially being on-call for me starting at time of hire.
My birthing time ultimately did not go how I thought it would; rather than the 24+ hour labour I thought I would have as a first-time Mom, I began labour and birthed our daughter in less than 3.5 hours. It was the most intense experience of my life, and I was so terrified. Martha arrived so quickly, guided us in what to do regarding updating our midwives, and her kind and confident words (especially her reminders that I was safe, and that what I was feeling were safe feelings) and her calming physical touch helped me immensely during this time. She helped me utilize our Hypnobabies tools when I needed it, and additionally took the most special photos of our daughter being born.
Postpartum, she was the person I felt I could best express my feelings to when I was tired, frustrated, and having breastfeeding challenges. Even my husband and my mum kept saying "call Martha, you respond so well to her." She was able to provide breastfeeding support, and then emotional support during an appointment with a lactation consultant. While my review here is lengthy, I hope it sheds even a bit of light on how wonderful Martha is as a person and as a doula. We are most hopeful to have her as our doula again in the future.
-Carlee
August 31, 2021
Martha Lanphear
Instinctive Birth
Birth Fee: $1600 to $2100
Postpartum Rate: $40 to $45
