Testimonial for Melissa Duenas-Witter
Like a lot of first time moms, I had a very specific idea of how my labor and delivery would go. My husband and I hired Melissa to be a support to both of us as we hoped to have a labor free from as many interventions as possible. When my baby was breech from 34 weeks on I had to really shift my mindset and ultimately come to terms with the fact that I was most likely not going to have the physiologic birth I had hoped for.
The reason Melissa is special is because she met me right where I was at. When I was seeking any and all ways to try and flip my breech baby, she was coaching me through spinning babies techniques, sending me chiropractor recommendations and easing my anxiety as I worried about the possibility of a c-section. When I had a failed ECV and my doctor called to schedule my c-section, Melissa was right there with me helping me let go of what I thought my labor would look like. For whatever reason, I could not get over the idea of “picking” my baby’s birthday. I shared my anxiety with Melissa and she said “babies are born on their own terms and they write their own stories”. I cannot tell you how much peace that brought me, and how true it really ended up being! I woke up the next morning after my water broke and went into spontaneous labor a few days before my scheduled c-section. Melissa had prepped my husband and I for how this process would go and both of us felt so comforted having her right by our side. When we first discussed hiring a doula, my husband wasn’t convinced we needed the support, but he will be the first to tell anyone that hiring her was the best decision we made for ourselves and our daughter. Let’s just say the next time I am expecting, Melissa will be finding out before my husband because I cannot imagine doing this again without her!
-Rachel
October 18, 2023
Melissa Duenas-Witter
Diary of a Doula
Birth Fee: $2250 to $2850
