Testimonial for Ashley Meissner
I hired Ashely for the birth of my 3rd child (my first hospital birth) and I am so grateful I made that decision. The short review is: having a doula for the hospital system was essential for me - I highly recommend Ashley!
She helped me with:
1.knowing what to expect at the hospital and being prepared for the ways it would be different from a birth center
2.helping create the atmosphere that I wanted for birth
3.providing me with the research on going past my due date at my ‘advanced age’ (I was 37)
4. when I decided to induce, she talked me through the options and gave me straightforward information.
I had ‘my chart’ to get in touch with my hospital midwifes but it felt very impersonal and I never knew who was going to repsond. I really liked a few of the midwives but none of them were assigned to me so I didn’t have a consistent person throughout the pregnancy. Ashley was that consistent person.
At the end, I was overdue and went as long as I felt healthy and safe. I decided to induce because the baby just wasn’t coming and I knew it was time. But we’re in a nursing shortage and the hospitals did not have room for me. I spent the last 2 days of pregnancy receiving a barrage of information from the hospital - I was talking to whoever was on staff and they had to keep their liability insurance in mind. I called Ashley every time I spoke with the hospital and she talked me through each decision. We could talk about my body and make decisions based on all the NSTs that came back showing my body was not in distress. On our own, my husband and I would not have been equipped to navigate the hospital system. Ashley’s support meant we could enjoy the day together instead of being completely overwhelmed by the situation. During the birth, she supported my husband so that he could be present with me which is exactly what I wanted her to do.
-Michelle
July 27, 2022
Ashley Meissner
Flowering Doula Services
Birth Fee: $1700 to $2000
