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| Birth Stories and Testimonials |
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The birth of my third child had not gone at all as I had hoped or planned. So when I found out I was expecting #4, I was determined to have a healing birth experience. My journey started off with a random phone call to a doula. Alexa answered and pointed me in the right direction. I attended a ‘tea with midwives’ and found the right prenatal care provider for me. A few months passed and it became clear to me that my husband deep down did not desire, and was not able to support me during labor. I preferred that he be present, but understood that not everyone can handle such a task so we decided to hire a birth assistant (doula). I went to a "meet the doula night"... Met with one doula but didn't feel a connection. I remembered Alexa and decided that I should get to know her. I called her again and we met. She radiated warmth, kindness and friendship. She was full of knowledge as well as her own life experience. I felt like she might be the right person to accompany me but was still hesitant. I didn't really want a stranger with me in the delivery room, I wanted my husband, but it became clearer that he really, really did not want to be present --he'd been there done that with our first two. So we hired Alexa. I was pleased. It was still early in the pregnancy which allowed me plenty of time to get to know Alexa and her back-up doula Audrey. They were both such good listeners and were available to me for visits and e-mails. By the end of the pregnancy we were no longer strangers. With months of preparation mentally and physically and my birth plan in hand, I was closer and closer to achieving the birth to heal all the others. I had never written a birth plan before. I never even thought I should. Never had I given birth without an epidural, pitocin, or other pain meds. My one attempt to do so with my third pregnancy failed. It was a difficult birth that left me with a third degree tear, and an even worse recovery. Alexa and Audrey helped me to process those feelings of fear and to focus on the positive, visualizing a smooth successful delivery. Labor day arrived. Alexa came to stay with me at home while early contractions developed into a more active labor pattern. We left for the hospital at 3:30am! By the time I got into the hospital bed I was in transition. From this point on Alexa was my ROCK!!! I never quite understood why or how a doula was important until this moment. She was always there. She never left my side. She ACTIVELY helped me to manage and cope with labor and it was EFFECTIVE!!! She knew just what to do and did it with diligence and patience. This was the hands on help that I had been missing in all my other labors! The teamwork of Alexa and my midwife Lin Lee helped me to achieve an un-medicated natural birth with no tearing, and most importantly (for me) the speedy recovery that accompanies this kind of birth. I can't help but feel like the luckiest lady who ever birthed a baby, and that this birth, this glorious, painful, wonderful birth was just the way they all should be. {Mother) |
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As much preparation and planning and hypnobirth practicing as (my wife) Leslie and I put in, as much as we both feel comfortable in the hospital and with medical crises (my wife is a Nurse Practitioner and I am a Physician), I was amazed to find out how easy it is to lose focus, get overwhelmed, and lose confidence when it's you and your wife going through it (the labor). We called Alexa in when when Leslie was pretty well advanced in her thinning/dialation phase and overall things were going well. And yet we could both feel a calm, confident new source of energy walk into the room. Thirty minutes later, this became vital as Leslie projectile vomited, with water breaking on the living room floor. Having Alexa there to keep Leslie focused and comfortable as I cleaned and packed up was crucial. The TENS unit played a huge role in Leslie's successfully birthing our 8 pound 15 ounce baby without epidural or IV. But Alexa really came through for us when Caleb (our little boy) got stuck on the way out and with persistent late decelerations throughout the pushing stage. She worked amazingly well with the midwife in helping Leslie with changes in position, counterpressure, aromatherapy, at the most crucial times, and (most importantly) encouragement. Her confidence in (my wife) was our anchor throughout some scary challenges. She was a vital part of our team, and it paid off. Caleb turned the corned and Leslie and I got our dream: a healthy baby with no medical interventions. Thus we give Alexa our highest recommendation- she is truly living out her calling. (Father) |
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| (The doula) was an excellent resource for this patient and family! (OB Nurse) |
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Alexa was extremely helpful in the birth of our son, Christopher. Christopher was 3 weeks early, and my labor started at 2:30am. When my husband called Alexa at 4am, she was over at our house within 20 minutes or so. She recognized by my back pains during contractions that the baby was posterior, and would need to be turned. She used TENS to help relieve some of the back pain, and guided me thru several positions to get him to turn. After ~1 hour, I did feel the pain go from back to front. Because the labor was progressing so quickly, Alexa was extremely helpful talking me thru each contraction. She was calm, getting me to visualize each contraction. At the hospital, Alexa continued to support both me and my husband with verbal encouragements and explainations as we went thru labor. Using Alexa made the whole experience less scary and we would recommend her highly. |
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I wish I had taken my early labor more seriously, but I thought I was going to have several hours of inconsistent contractions, "Early labor" actually didn't last that long, so by the time (my husband) Dave came home from work, I was in full blown labor. He had very little warning to switch gears from work to labor partner, and he was a little freaked out. He called Alexa and by the time she got to the house I was in the tub and needed constant massage from Dave. Alexa walked in calmly and totally respectful of the energy in the room. Not too long after I got out of the tub and moved on to the birthing ball where I started to projectile vomit and lose amniotic fluid, Dave and I were totally totally panicked at this point and Alexa radiated calm and suggested that we start packing up for the hospital. Alexa stayed with me while Dave put our bags in the car. Her presence was always soothing and helped me remain focused. The TENS unit was very helpful , especially on the uncomfortable ride to the hospital. At the hospital Alexa was present but unobtrusive, she seemed to instinctively know what was needed and when. (Mother) |
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My water broke at 7:30 am on a Saturday, 15 days ahead of my due date. I was scheduled for an induction in 24 hours if I did not go into labor spontaneously. My midwife suggested herbs and acupuncture. I began taking herbs, but unfortunately none of the three acupuncturists I called were able to see me on such short notice on a Saturday. Alexa came to the rescue and found two providers who could see me, even though their practices were officially closed for the day. My contractions began at 8:30 pm and quickly progressed to being intense and closely spaced. I was experiencing excruciating back pain that did not let up much between contractions. By about 10:45 pm, I was ready to go to the hospital to ask for an epidural. Although I had planned to avoid drugs if at all possible, I couldn't imagine even one more our of the pain. We called Alexa and asked her to meet us at the hospital instead of at home as originally planned. She responded that she was within 10 min of our house, and asked that we wait for her. By the time she arrived, I was very anxious to get to the hospital. Yet somehow I was calmed by Alexa's presence and not at all upset that she wanted to try a few things first. She put the TENS machine on my back, guided me in breathing through the contractions, and gently suggested position changes. I was amazed by the change. Although I don't know whether these maneuvers actually decreased the pain, or rather simply helped me cope with the pain more effectively, either way I was empowered to continue laboring at home - until 5:30 am! At the hospital, Alexa continued providing expert guidance. I opted to wait until 7:30 am for my first vaginal check. At that time, I was surprised and relieved to learn that I was fully dialated! Unfortunately, the most difficult part lay ahead. Pushing was incredibly painful. Alexa, now working with my midwife and nurse, guided me through many position changes in efforts to help me push effectively. After about five excruciating hours, I had made progress, but was also exhausted and irrational. My very large fibroid tumors probably contributed to this slow and painful labor. Nevertheless, Alexa's gentle voice of encouragement helped me focus my energy during each contraction. She thought of every detail in helping us cope. At 1:48 pm, (my baby) was born. I have never been so happy. In summary, Alexa's support was more than I could ask or imagine. I know we would not have had such a positive birth experience without her. I cannot find words to express how grateful I am for her presence during (my son's) birth, and I wish everyone could have such great support during childbirth. (Mother) |
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| I give Alexa my highest possible recommendation. I think that her efforts and support were essential to (my wife's) being able to have a vaginal delivery. I am very grateful for her help and support. (Father) |
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Alexa's help was invaluable during my labor and delivery. I was having a painful back labor and Alexa went to heroic efforts to help me through it. She was an infinite patience and a very comforting presence. Alexa helped greatly when complications arose by explaining our options so we could make informed decisions. Her presence make a difficult time much easier. While the grugs effectively alleviated my physical pain, Alexa's techniques were much better at alleviating my suffering. We were very happy that we chose Alexa to be our doula. (Father) |
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I wasn't sure beforehand if a doula was a worthwhile idea or just someone to make my wife feel a little less scared (which of course is a good thing). After the fact, I can say that Alexa was an invaluable resource during an incredibly intense experience. Without her support, tips, and tools we would have had a far more medicated, less desirable, and likely surgical birth experience. Even though things didn't go the way we expected / hoped, Alexa made it easier. Her support was invaluable, particularly at 2am after 27 hours of labor. I cannot imagine what we would have done without her. I would use, and gladly recommend, Alexa's services again! (Father) |
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| Alexa was awesome. She gave (my husband) and I the extra support we needed as this was our 1st baby. I did not know what to expect especially with the doctors and the whole hospital experience. I really believe that if we didn't have her there for support I may have had to have a c-section but because my baby wasn't in fetal (de)stress and I had the support from my doula and family I was able to deliver vaginally. Plus when I did get an epidural she was there to hel me stay calm thru the contractions. My husband also liked having her there because she helped both of us stay in the moment, know when to ask questions of the medical staff such as if certain things were normal, etc. (Mother) |
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| Alexa's services helped guide my husband and I through the full range of the birth experience- from helping us communicate our needs, hopes, and fears during our prenatal meetings to being a solid support during labor and after, to helping us integrate our birth story and process our thoughts at our postpartum visit. She was the support we needed to go through this amazing process with confidence in ourselves and each other. (Mother) |
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| I appreciated all the help (Alexa) gave (my wife) and also everything she did to keep me in check. Her calm, steady presence in the labor room, while the medical staff left us alone, made all the difference in giving us confidence and keeping us calm. (Father) |
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Alexa kept me focused and grounder during the active phase of my labor. The attention paid to my breathing patterns and vocalization helped me to use my energy wisely. The TENS unit was a fantastic help, as much of my labor was felt in my back. The pushing phase of my labor was unusually long, but Alexa helped me to focus on each contraction individually, rather than on the amount of time that had passed. Heat on my lower back helped me relax in between contractions, and massage helped to relieve the intense cramping in my hips and legs. When my baby's progress stalled, Alexa helped me to try several different positions as well as acupressure to attempt to get the baby moving. For some reason my baby did not progress enough through my birth canal and I ended up needing a c-section. Although I would have preferred a normal vaginal birth, I have no regrets with Alexa's help, I tried everything possible to make a natural birth happen, but it wasn't possible for me. If I am blessed enough to have another child, I would want Alexa there. Without her, my experience would not have been a positive one. (Mother) |
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| Alexa was a wonderful guide during a very stressful process. Her experience was invaluable to the birth of our child. (Father) |
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| I have two older daughters and with their births I had pitocin and epidural as well as a urinary catheter. The births went smoothly but recovery was much longer than with this birth. With the birth planning process, I was able to write out what I hoped for the birth of our son, and to prepare myself and my husband mentally and emotionally. Alexa did a great job coaching us through this preparation. At the birth, Audrey's (Alexa's doula partner) calm presence, massage, and encouragement were key elements in our excellent birth experience- with no epidural, pitocin, or catheter. While the experience was intense, I felt so much more in charge of the process, much more involved in the experience, and so well-supported. Recovery was not even comparable to my two previous births- it was so much quicker. I highly recommend Alexa and Audrey as birth doulas. (Mother) |
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| I had my baby at home which was an amazing and empowering experience. Having a doula was great for additional support but was most helpful in keeping my husband calm and able to help me- for that I am very grateful. (Mother) |
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| We didn't get to use (Alexa) during labor or birth, but that was our own fault for not calling you soon enough! We loved all the pictures (Alexa) took (right after the birth) when we were too busy, and it was great having (her) with me while (my husband) Chris was with the baby. I was all worked up from the experience and it was nice to have (her) calming presence there. We would use (Alexa) again and would definitely call (her) sooner next time! :) (Mother) |
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Alexa stood out immediately in the group of doulas when we met as someone who was excited, passionate, and knowledgeable in her field, as well as calm and grounded. Her warm yet professional demeanor made a big difference in the introductory meetings when we discussed difficult decisions and made the most difference dealing with hospital staff. Throughout the birth she was my advocate and my support. While we labored at home, she never let her focus stray and was constantly encouraging and praising me. Once at the hospital, I never sensed that anything was tense or stressful, though she advocated strongly for me a few times. Afterward it was a pleasure to have her with me while my family met the baby. If / when I have a second child, I definitely want Alexa to be part of the experience. (Mother) |
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The pre-labor meetings were terrific in helping me think about things I otherwise may not have considered. When (my wife) Amy went into labor I realized that even though I'd done lots of reading and preparation, I was not prepared to assist alone- I had no idea what was NORMAL, didn't know how much pain was O.K. Once Alexa arrived, I found I could relax and be there for Amy. I followed Alexa's example, the way she was calm and grounded, and the way she comforted Amy and (I was) thereby able to do a terrific job as a birth partner, much more so than I could have alone. I would love to be a reference for any of (Alexa's) potential client dads-to-be! (Father) |
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