Testimonial for Jesse Waller, PD, PPD, CILFS, LMT (she/they)
At 32 weeks pregnant, my husband and I thought we had decided not to hire a birth doula; then we met Jesse through a birth education course at MyBirth and knew that we wanted her to be part of our birth team.
During the remainder of pregnancy, Jesse offered an evidence-based perspective that helped my husband and I make informed decisions about our birth preferences. In our experience this was not a common approach for other birth workers, which made it difficult to distinguish anecdotal storytelling from more representative data. At a time where I was feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed, Jesse shared resources that helped me feel better prepared to give birth.
Throughout my labor/delivery, Jesse was helpful, unbiased, and empowering. As I worked through nearly 6 hours of active labor, Jesse was unwaveringly yet unobtrusively present. She set the ambiance in the room, made suggestions to aide with my progress and comfort, and offered consistent support to my partner so he could best show up for me. Jesse made sure the focus of the day was on me, my partner, and our baby. While Jesse knew my birth preferences inside and out, and communicated them to the midwife and nurse, she was never attached to a singular path. This helped me consider my options every step of the way and feel confident that there was no one right way to have a baby. Ultimately, Jesse’s leadership during my birth experience helped me feel empowered to make the right decisions for me to bring my baby into the world.
My husband and I are so grateful that Jesse was a major highlight in our experience. We went from being certain that we weren’t going to hire a doula to not being able to imagine giving birth without Jesse on our team. At a month postpartum, I continue to feel cared for by Jesse through her home visit, sharing photos, and checking in. If/when we decide to have another child, our first call will definitely be to Jesse!
-Laura Jo Cramer
January 18, 2023
Birth Fee: $1500 to $1700
Postpartum Rate: $40 to $45
