Birth Doula Services of Southern Maryland

Services offered
Our Basic Plan is:
$550 in 2 payments
or
$1100 in 1 payment
(reduced rates may be available to families in need)
Your Contract includes:
-
Free introductory meet & connect
-
Two in-person prenatal meetings along with partners. Learn labor techniques, breath work, relaxation
-
On-call 24/7 by phone and/or email, especially after 36 weeks for consultation, information, support
-
Development of a specific birthing plan to bring to hospital; we will go over all your plans with shift nurses and staff
-
Full, continuous labor support for the duration of your labor; as well as staying for 1-2 hours after delivery
-
One postpartum visitation; phone and email help for up to 4 weeks; informational support for lactation needs and postpartum issues if they arise
Hospitals served:
-
Medstar Southern Maryland Hospital Center, Clinton
-
Medstar St. Mary's Hospital Center, Leonardtown
-
UM Charles Regional Medical Center, La Plata
-
Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, VA

What is the Doula's role?
As a birth doula we are here to assist you and your partner have the kind of birth that you envision. We provide emotional, informational, and physical support by:
-
suggesting labor techniques for positions, relaxation, breath work
-
offering evidence-based information as needed
-
helping explain the medical procedures, intervention, options
Our job is to nurture and support - our agenda is tied only to the birthing partner's agenda. This is known as the primacy of interest. In other words, our responsibility is to the birthing person's desires and wishes, not to our own agendas.

What Doulas DON'T do:
-
they do not perform clinical tasks such as vaginal exams or fetal monitoring
-
they do not give medical advice or diagnose conditions
-
they do not make decisions for the birthing person
-
they do not take over the role of partner/spouse/father
-
they do not pressure the birthing person to make certain choices
-
they do not catch the baby
-
they do not change shifts, or talk to the staff for you