Shelia was a blessing to us. We had hoped for a natural birth and many of our friends had recommended finding a doula for the process. What struck me about looking at Shelia’s profile was her experience with La Leche League. We were certain that we wanted to breastfeed and having a teacher and support for breastfeeding was very important to us. When first meeting with Shelia, we were struck by her gentle and kind nature. We both knew that trusting a doula was a must, considering the intimate nature of the relationship we would have with this person. We immediately felt a connection with her.

Shelia checked in with me throughout the pregnancy and even came to work with me as my EDD came and went. She had wonderful techniques for helping stimulate labor, as well as resources for acupuncture. My pregnancy went over 15 days and I was afraid of being asked to be induced by my midwives. No matter what was to happen, Shelia was calming and had recommendations for helping me keep as close to my birth plan as possible.

My labor was anything but typical. It was over 30 hours and ended in an emergency c-section. Shelia was at my house immediately when we called when I was in heavy labor. She was extremely active throughout the labor and assisted my husband in his coaching throughout the process, helping him stay energized to make it through the night. She was relieving to him when most needed. The midwives and doctors were pressuring me to make decisions throughout the process, which were difficult after being in labor so long, but Shelia was an incredible advocate for me, offering alternatives to induction and asking for more time to labor. When we did need to go to c-section, she helped keep both me and my husband calm during a very stressful situation.

I would absolutely choose to have Shelia at our next birth.