I had a really wonderful experience with my doula, Alissa Wehrman. Her site is http://sunbirth.org/. She has a calm, quiet demeanor. She is a careful listener and observer, and she is very... More

I had a really wonderful experience with my doula, Alissa Wehrman. Her site is http://sunbirth.org/. She has a calm, quiet demeanor. She is a careful listener and observer, and she is very intuitive. From discussions with us before the birth, from observing me during labor, and I'm sure from her previous experiences, she undertood well what I needed. She seemed to know when to talk to me and how, and when to be silently present. At times I felt her presense and support and at times I forgot she was there, and either way it was what I needed at that point. The one time she was a little off it was very minor - I wanted a steady pressing hand on my back, rather than being rubbed - and she adapted smoothly. She also takes photos during labor and birth with your camera. I used her post-partum services, too, and found her very helpful with a variety of things, from bringing me breakfast and doing dishes to helping me learn how to nurse while side-lying. Alissa was my friend's doula as well, and she and her husband are very different from us in style and temperment. While my husband wanted to be very present and involved, my friend's wanted to be hands-off and let the women run the show. While I like connection and want to be touched, my friend would be the first to tell you that she's a little cool, and not at all "touchy-feely". Still, they also had an excellent experience with her. Our birth was at a birth center, our friend's was at UW hospital with a midwife, and I know she's done home births and hospital births with OBs as well. Good luck in your search
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