Before Labor Usually, I begin to get to know the expecting family during pregnancy. Through emails or by phone I will try to learn more about you and the kind of birth experience you desire. How you feel about medication? Who will be your support team? What questions you may have? Then if you are interested in meeting in person for an interview we can arrange an initial meeting to further discuss your wants and wishes. It is also important during these meetings to get to know each other better and also to make sure there is a positive connection between the mother, father and myself. Once hired you are welcome to call and email as much as you would like. I am always open for questions or concerns, if i don't know the answer I will try to refer you to someone who can better serve that particular need. Two weeks surrounding your due date I am on 24-hour call. Once labor has began I am there to help offer non-medical advice and possibly help remind you of the signs to look for that say it is time to go to the hospital.
During Labor
I offer calm support to you and your birth partner.
Because I am comfortable with the birthing processes I bring calmness to the birth environment. While you are having a contraction I remind you to stay as relaxed as possible (watching for tension areas like face, shoulders, legs, etc.). I give continual verbal reassurance that you are doing a fantastic job. There isn't just one way of helping a mother cope with labor because every labor and every mother are different. I follow your signals of what works for you at that moment. I am very hands on and love working with mothers to try to help them have the kind of labor experience they want and never make dad feel left out in the process. Dad is able to be as active in the birth as he would like or if he is less comfortable with the process I will adjust to that as well. I try to work with you to bring the baby down for hopefully the speediest and least uncomfortable way.
After Birth
I will stay with you for one to two hours after the birth of the baby. I will help with beginning breastfeeding, if you are planning to do so, and help you and your partner settle in after the birth. After you go home I am available for any questions you might have and will either answer them or will direct you to the proper resource. One to two weeks after the birth I will either visit you at your home or by phone (it is your choice) to discuss your labor and birth experience. This might help remind you of events that you may have forgot or fill in missing pieces of the labor or birth. It will also give you the opportunity to recount your overall experience and how you feel about it.
Service Areas Include but not limited to:
Edmond, Oklahoma City, Norman, Moore, Chickasha, Lawton, and Duncan