Birth doula support

Bay Shillington Birth Photography

get ready to meet your new birth bestie

Our trained birth doulas are knowledgeable guides as you prepare for birth, and are there every step of the way until you are holding your tiny baby in your arms. From the moment you hire your birth doula, you now have a support person, a listening ear, and a source of information that is just a text or call away. Your birth doula will meet with you prenatally to help you prepare for the big day, will be there throughout your labor + birth, and will help you get settled in during the immediate postpartum hours.

Your birth doula is your guide, your shoulder to lean on, and the person who will remind you of the deep strength you have within you to bring your baby into the world. They have a seemingly bottomless “bag of tricks” up their sleeve, whether it’s ideas of how to get a stubborn baby to turn, positions to help labor progress with an epidural, or suggestions on how to push most effectively. Your birth doula’s goal is always to help you have the most safe, satisfying and positive birth experience possible.

Eva Irene Birth Photography

Inclusive support for all families + all births

There is no one right way to have a baby. You have lived your whole life as a unique, complex and ever-changing person, with your own preferences, personal circumstances, relationship dynamics, health history, and support system. So why should your birth be a one-size-fits-all experience? Birth, just like in life, is inherently unpredictable. While you can make plans for your birth, set goals, and have a best-case-scenario in your mind, you will have an easier time overall if you’re able to release some of you expectations and go with the flow. This doesn’t mean your doula will sit back and just say, “eh, what are ya gonna do? We have no control, so why even bother?” Quite the opposite, in fact. During your prenatal sessions, your doula will make sure you understand all of your birth options, help you envision your ideal birth, and give you tips on how to put together a list of your most important birth preferences. Because knowledge is power, and you will feel more confident going into your birth if you have a general idea of what to expect.

Then when labor day rolls around, your doula will be right there to hold all the complexities and unknowns of birth. They will make sure you know your options if/when your birth plans change. They will make space for all of your emotions as you navigate the twists and turns of labor. They will remind you of what you’ve decided is most important to you. And above all, they will always make sure you are listened to, respected, and honored by every person who sets foot in your birthing space.

La Luna Birth Photography

how doulas + partners make a great team

Doulas and partners are a dynamic duo. Your partner knows you best, including how you cope with stress, what type of comforting touch you like, how to make you laugh, and what to say when you want to cry. Your doula knows birth best, including how to help labor progress, how to manage discomfort, ways to move and positions that will feel good, and hands-on techniques that will bring relief.

Your doula’s role is to support both the birthing person and the partner, to make sure you both know your options, and to make sure you both feel 100% supported. That might look like tag-teaming with your partner to give them a chance to rest, eat, or take a break. It might look like reminding your partner of ways they can physically support you during a contraction. It might look like your doula explaining medical terms and options to you and your partner, so you both always know exactly what’s happening during labor. Or it might look like your doula reassuring your partner that the intensity they’re seeing you experience during labor is totally normal and that you’re doing amazing.

Hiring Heart Tones as our birth doula was the best decision and investment we made during pregnancy. Beth and her team are just incredible. Having our doula at our side for my very long and challenging labor made all of the difference. She offered advice, support, encouragement and direction. To be honest, I can’t say enough great things about Heart Tones - they have just been life changing to work with.
— Kelsey