Frequently Asked Questions

A doula is a trained support person who is not a healthcare professional and who supports another individual through a significant health-related experience, such as childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or stillbirth, or non-reproductive experiences.

Having a doula at your labor and birth can lead to shorter labors with fewer complications. Doula support reduces the need for labor-inducing drugs such as Pitocin, vacuum extraction, and cesarean births. Mothers who work with a doula have a lower percentage of epidural use, and have more positive feelings about their birth. Research shows parents who receive support:

-feel more secure and cared for

-are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics

-have greater success with breastfeeding

-have greater self-confidence

-have less postpartum depression

-have lower incidence of abuse

Partners are equally comforted and reassured by the presence of a trained doula. A doula can never replace a partner’s role, which is to be there to unconditionally love and support their partner. I work to keep partners even more involved in the labor and birth of their child by offering ideas of how they can help, and intuitively reading what the birthing person needs and working with the partner to provide those needs for her.

It’s a lot to ask a partner, who is emotionally tied into the birth, to provide all of the physical and emotional needs of the birthing person as well as understand which choices to make throughout labor to keep things progressing and keep the birthing person as comfortable as possible.

ABSOLUTELY! Being a plus size woman of child bearing age, I understand the anxiety that comes with being a plus sized birthing person. Will you be judged by healthcare providers? Will they assume you’re unhealthy and don’t work out at all or will they assume that you lead an active life and are just fighting genetics? Whatever your questions or concerns, I’ve probably had them and I want to support you through it all!

I absolutely do! I believe that whatever your choice of family style, you deserve support and love just as much as anyone else. My goal is to provide tools for self advocacy, affirmation, harm reduction and filling in crucial healthcare industry gaps.

I feel strongly about not limiting someone’s ability to hire a doula based on financial restraints, so I am happy to talk with you personally about spreading payments out into a plan that works for you.

Yes! You are able to use your FSA/HSA cards for your payment and you will be provided a detailed receipt for your insurance company.

Atlanta is still on SEVERE threat level for COVID-19, however I am tested weekly and have maintained negative results for several months and take great precaution while at in person visits.

Our first prenatal visit will be virtual and all other visits will be in person and the following protocols are in place:

Meeting in an outdoor area at your home (patio, deck, balcony) or nearby playground or park (weather permitting).

Before the visit I will ask the common screening questions to assess exposure to or symptoms of COVID-19.

We will not exchange items during the visits.

If you find out that you or anyone you work and/or live with has been exposed to and/or tests positive for COVID-19 OR - if you develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19 even if you test negative, you MUST make me aware and I will reschedule our visit to a virtual appointment or for another date. You MUST also confirm a negative test once your quarantine time has passed.

You agree to do your best to prevent exposure by following precautions such as social distancing and wearing a mask while in public and reducing the amount of time you spend in places with groups of 10 or more people.

I am making these provisions in order to keep myself, you and your family safe by reducing my risk of exposure in many different environments. I will wear a mask to every face to face encounter and continue to strictly follow physical/social distancing orders.

A bit of a tricky question, but what you would have to do is contact your insurance provider to see what they cover or reimburse for AND what documents they need. I will provide my NPI number and any other documentation needed to send in to your insurance company. What will likely happen is your insurance company will require you to pay in full and then send in the required documents for reimbursement. Unfortunately, this does not guarantee that your services will be covered by your insurance provider or that you will be reimbursed.

YES! Home births are one of my favorite things! I love the freedom to move around and truly utilize the space you’re in to make labor and birth as smooth as possible. My favorite midwife to work with for Atlanta Metro Home Births is Kay of Gifted Hands Midwifery!

YES! I love supporting families in the birth center setting! If you haven’t already, please consider birthing at The Atlanta Birth Center!

Absolutely! I like to call them my science families and they hold a special place in my heart as we navigate the intricacies of pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum.

Yes! Her name is Kirsten and she is my big sister! We often back each other up on local and travel assignments.

All of them! But to be specific, high risk pregnancies, pregnancy with multiples, advanced maternal age pregnancies, breech pregnancies.

Generally, I take no more than 2 birth clients per month but every now and then I will slide in another more controlled birth, meaning there’s a scheduled induction or caesarean. I accept encapsulation clients on a rolling basis and postpartum clients after assessing the needs of the family.

{In my best Bobby Brown voice} “That’s YOUR prerogative!” My support does not change if your desire is to have a medicated birth. All I’ll ever ask is that you go as far as you can using the pain management tools I teach and then shift the medicated laboring.

ABSOLUTELY! This support would also include postpartum support.

I do travel within the state of GA and out of state! I’ve even supported a birth out of the country! Check out the travel services!