Testimonial for Lauralee Lightwood-Mater, CD(DONA)
This was our first child and working with Lauralee had a huge impact on my expectations going into the birth and the actual experience. We had a fairly challenging delivery and she was a huge help - offering encouragement, guidance and support. The homework during the pre-labor meetings also helped a great deal with expectation management and preparation for the labor/delivery and the potential complications that can arise. I learned a lot about my role as the support person and was more able to mentally prepare for one of the biggest experiences of my life. Having someone in there as an advocate who has been through a lot of deliveries really helped diminish the stress and concerns about doing things that were not in accordance with our values or birth plan. It was also nice to have someone to take photos and other documentation to remember that day.
To be completely up front, I was not initially on-board with the idea of Doula services while delivering at a highly ranked hospital. Luckily, my wife advocated for it and I viewed it kind of as "insurance." If everything goes smoothly, then it's just some additional expense (I appreciate that comfort with additional costs may vary) and preparation for the event. However, if things went poorly, I'd always be upset with myself for being against it. In retrospect, Lauralee made a huge impact on a day that really brought my partner and I together while bringing our child into the world on our terms. I'm really happy that we went with her and can't recommend her enough.
-Justin
February 03, 2023
Lauralee Lightwood-Mater, CD(DONA)
Lightwood Maternity
Birth Fee: $2100
