Your birth journey matters! Here are 5 resources to consider while your pregnancy unfolds.

1) Open heart and mind.

The path that your pregnancy and birth will take is a mystery - An unpredictable journey. Moving through this special and vulnerable time by releasing expectations about how it will go can help you to surrender to the process and be open-hearted about what is out of your control. 

2) Evidence-based childbirth class.

Taking a doula-led childbirth class will equip you with the knowledge and skills to evaluate all your options throughout your pregnancy and during your labor - Helping you to find your voice in the decision-making process. A great evidence-based class will provide you with unbiased information about the physiology of birth and about current evidence-based practices, as well as providing you with numerous physical and emotional coping tools. 

3) Supportive provider.

If insurance/circumstance allows, pick a provider that is comfortable with and open to the type of birth you desire. If you’re looking for a water birth, choose a provider who supports waterbirth regularly. If you’re looking to have a trial of labor after a cesarean birth, choose a provider that has a high VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) success rate. Picking a provider who truly understands and supports the birth you are hoping for will increase your chances of achieving your desired birth and give you peace of mind about your birth journey, regardless of the direction it takes. 

4) Supportive birth location.

Choose a birthing location that supports your birthing priorities. For example, in Atlanta, there are only three birth locations (outside of homebirth) that allow laboring and/or birthing in a water birth pool. If you anticipate health complications or are considered “high risk,” you may want to consider a hospital that has the specialized abilities to medically support you or your baby, such as a Level-IV neonatal unit.

5) A support circle.

Worry is the work of pregnancy and parenthood. The people you allow into your space during this amazing and vulnerable time will impact on how you are feeling about your upcoming birth. Surround yourself with supportive friends, family and birth professionals. Here’s where doula support really makes a difference: Our unique team-based model of two doulas means you get consistent, compassionate, continuous support from the day we’re hired! We will support you through evidence-based education, decades of experience from hundreds of births–both medicated and unmedicated–and compassionate, timely response to develop a trusting relationship with you. And our twice-monthly prenatal support group provides a safe, nonjudgmental space for you to connect with other birthing families in the area - many of whom might be birthing at the same location and are likely experiencing many of the same worries, joys and wonders as you.