Testimonial for Amanda Hoyle, CD(DONA), CLC, CBE
Amanda is wonderful. Bottom line is I wanted an unmedicated VBAC and achieved it with her support. It will forever be one of the best experiences of my life. My husband and I agree it would have been impossible without her. She was in constant text communication with me from the moment I thought my water broke until we all arrived at the hospital 8 hours later. As soon as we got into L&D room, she knew just how to help, and did so in a calm/supportive/unassuming way. Based on my contraction timing, she thought baby was trying to move, so she helped me get into different positions with the peanut ball that also let me rest (it was 2am). Knowing that we should rest for a few hours through contractions was vital. She knew how to turn off the loud alarm to my heart monitor when I was falling asleep and consulted the nurses about lowering the threshold for the alarm, which they did. When the OB got concerned about baby’s flat heart rate, she calmly told me baby was probably sleeping and gave me some juice. Within minutes, the heart rate was good. The nurses/OB kept pressuring me to get an IV, and she helped me feel confident in my decision not to (there was no medical reason for it). She knew exactly what time the new OB (my fave) would take over, and that gave me needed hope. Once the contractions got stronger, she was there with hip squeezes/swaying/encouragement for every contraction (or helping my husband). When my water REALLY broke, she knew to suggest the shower (with fairy lights in the bathroom). This is when transition started, and her presence was essential for the next two hours (I was losing it!) I had never pushed before (first baby was breech), but Amanda knew exactly the right counter pressure technique when I was on hands and knees to help me figure it out. I only pushed for 24 minutes and know it was because of this technique, which she used for every pushing contraction. In sum, Amanda is amazing and I will always be grateful for her!
-Laura Morgan
September 09, 2022
Amanda Hoyle, CD(DONA), CLC, CBE
Anchor & Calm
Birth Fee: $2200 to $2500
Postpartum Rate: $35 to $45
