Testimonial for Lauralee Lightwood-Mater, CD(DONA)
Before Lauralee was my doula, I had the benefit of knowing her as a trusted doula colleague and a dear friend. In all of those relationships, she has never made me feel anything other than confident and capable and supported. As my doula for my third birth, she provided exactly what I needed: a calm presence, a complete awareness and trust in what I wanted, and a teammate for my husband as I moved through all the sensations birth brought me. I had prepared for birth using HypnoBabies, and while Lauralee hadn't supported clients who had used that program before, she took all the materials I gave her to prepare and made sure she could support me in the ways I needed while I used my hypnosis techniques.
She never once made me doubt my choices, she offered reassurance whenever it was needed (especially prenatally), and she helped me to feel safe and powerful. She took beautiful photos that I will forever be grateful for, she made me feel grounded and supported even in the most intense moments, and she fed me while I soaked in that first hour with my new baby. Lauralee is a stellar doula and a special person. She respects her clients, advocates for their desires, educates them on their options, and honors their experiences. Having worked as a doula myself and having given birth twice before, I did feel confident in myself and my ability to birth, and I still believe there was tremendous value to having Lauralee's support throughout pregnancy, during birth, and into postpartum. So does a doula need a doula? I can't answer that question for all doulas, but I can say with total certainty that having Lauralee as my doula made my pregnany and birth journey better. I am so thankful she was part of the final chapter of my birth stories.
-Amy Rothstein
April 26, 2023
Lauralee Lightwood-Mater, CD(DONA)
Lightwood Maternity
Birth Fee: $2100
