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Don't mind the interruption from the Blue Angels flying over, or my progressively melting makeup as I held this interview in a hot van! Meghan and I originally planned to meet in person in mid-March, but finally conceded to just having a virtual meet-up via Instagram Live. Enjoy! Meghan Beck *offering virtual birth doula services (She/her/hers) Brandywinevalleydoulaservices@gmail.com 484-787-4980 www.brandywinevalleydoulaservices.com * web form preferred method of first communication Facebook: Brandywine Valley Doula Services Instagram @brandywinevalleydoulaservices Birth Doula Fee: $900 Located in Exton, PA and serving the Greater Philadelphia Area
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I was only about 2 years overdue for a hang out with my friend and doula colleague Jamie Wasson. We finally got to sit down and push record so that the rest of you could get to know Jamie too. Jamie is a veteran member of the Philly Doula Co-op, a licensed therapist, a birth and postpartum doula, a childbirth educator and the member-at-large on the Lamaze International's Education Council. She's just all around amazing! ENJOY! Jamie Wasson *offering virtual birth doula services (She/her/hers) jmewasson@gmail.com 605-209-6372 jamie wasson.com Birth Doula Fee: $1400, sliding scale for special situations Located in Collingswood, NJ and travels to Philadelphia and South Jersey birth places It was a delight getting to meet and spend time with Mallori of Thrive Birth & Maternal Support! Mallori Berry Cain *offering virtual birth doula services (She/her/hers) mallori@thrivebirthsupport.com 706-247-5559 www.thrivebirthsupport.com Birth Doula Fee: $950-$1000; ($600 for virtual birth doula package) Located in Oaklyn, NJ and travels to Philadelphia and South Jersey birth places  It must have been inevitable that Hana and I would meet and become friends one day. Even before my doula trainer reached out to say, "Hey, I just had someone in my training this weekend who I really think you should meet," it turns out that we had a handful of friends in common. No surprise that when I reached out to her for the first time, she was getting ready to leave for the other side of the world for a few weeks. She is definitely the most well-travelled doula I know. I so enjoyed the chance to sit down and interview her so that you all can meet her too! Hana Lehmann She/her/hers doulahana@gmail.com 605-209-6372 www.philadoula.com Instagram: @philadoula Birth Doula Fee: $800-$1500 Travels within 45 minutes of Port Richmond Here's my interview with Philly Doula Co-op member Hanan Abdul-Hameed. I had a lot of fun getting to know her, and I think it shows! Hanan Abdul-Hameed * offering virtual birth doula services (She/her/hers) hananabdulhameed7@gmail.com 267-345-6615 Instagram: @this_womanswork_ Birth Doula Fee: $900 (This fee includes 2 prenatal visits, Birth support, and 2 postpartum visits. COVID-19 virtual support includes one 45 min virtual meeting bi-weekly.)  Kim Hewlett She/her/hers kim@birth-to-baby.com 856-296-1023 kimhewlett.wixsite.com/birth-to-baby Facebook:Birth-to-BabyDoula Services Instagram: Kim_Gavlick_Hewlett Birth Doula Fee: $1200 Serving Greater Philadelphia & South Jersey I so enjoyed my lovely chat with birth and postpartum doula, mom to three with number four on the way and member of the Philly Doula Co-op, Kim Hewlett! (Please don't mind the abrupt start ... we had a little technical difficulty in the beginning, but I promise you only missed a minute or two! We pick up after Kim introducing herself, establishing that she is NOT related to the Hewlett-Packard Hewletts, and sharing why she decided to become a doula) Enjoy!  Dawn Star is a doula who I feel very privileged to say that I know well. This is mostly due to our shared time together as part of the Philly Doula Co-op, but also because I make it a special point to invite the wisdom that Dawn Star has to offer into my life at every opportunity. There is one thing that I can be sure of - whether it’s in a business meeting, at a social gathering, sitting in a client prenatal appointment together or just observing Dawn Star on social media after an upsetting world event - when she has something to say, I want to listen! Dawn Star has a one-in-at-least-a-thousand (maybe a million!) ability to pay attention, take in information and perspectives, carefully evaluate and then produce thoughtful, wise words in response. She is an above and beyond listener and learner which makes her an above and beyond teacher. I’m never surprised when someone in my class who is looking for a smart, calm, strong presence at their birth chooses Dawn Star as their doula. Before she became a birth doula, Dawn Star already had a career as a religious educator, and through that role, birth work found her and drew her in. It happened that two expectant couples from her community sensed her fitness for the role and matter-of-factly told her that she was going to be their birth educator and their doula! Pursuing birth work made sense since Dawn Star had a life-long fascination with birth, breastfeeding and parenting. In the dozen years since she helped those two couples prepare for and welcome their babies, she she became certified by Birthing From Within as a doula and childbirth educator and has now educated and supported nearly 100 birthing people. Dawn Star has recently started describing herself as an “improvisational doula” By this she means that “what I do as a doula is responsive to what's happening in your labor and birth, who you are, what you need, how your partner is supporting you.” Part of how she accomplishes this is by building rapport in the birth space between everyone who is present, whenever possible. One of her greatest strengths is her ability to be adaptable in a lot of different situations. This adaptability, observance and responsiveness enables her to achieve those moments where she feels exactly in her element, figuring out what this this specific birthing person needs from her in this moment. Do you know is NOT Dawn Star’s gift? Shallow flattery and sugar coating situations that need to be dealt with soberly. She is simply a calm presence, never overtaking a situation or space with more-than-necessary energy. I see this even in how Dawn Star responded to one of my questions about "birth heroes," in particular in sharing about her gratitude for how someone like Ina May Gaskin has made great contributions to the world of healthy, well-supported, spiritually attuned birth - BUT - noting that Ina May has also made problematic public statements more recently that need to be considered. Dawn Star’s humility allows her to have a keen ability to see the positives and the negatives of any and every person, recognizing the strengths AND liabilities of situations in order to help elevate and realize the very best outcomes for people entrusted to her care. I’m sensing a theme in the doulas that I have found a great connection with — there are lots of other “moms of four” who I have a natural affinity for! Dawn Star is another mom of four who has done birth work in the past when her kids were younger, and now enjoys the greater simplicity of leaving for a birth with more self-sufficient humans making up her household. Beside the flexibility of having kids who can manage without their mother for the span of a labor, Dawn Star’s other full-time job as a Unitarian Universalist religious educator affords her the flexibility to step away when a baby decides to have a birthday. Dawn Star says of this job, this calling - “Sometimes that makes people nervous if they have very particular ideas about religion but what it really means is that I've had lots of experience working with lots of different kinds of families, and that I'm very comfortable working with whatever a family's religious or spiritual needs are - or with families for whom that isn't important at all.” After she has helped to support a someone continuously through their birth, Dawn Star has a ritual of stopping by Wawa on her way home for a treat. Less than 5 hours of sleep demands that she nap right away, but if she’s had at least 5 hours of sleep she’ll push through until bedtime, yet still allow herself a couple days to fully recover from the physical and emotional expenditure of supporting a birth. When she can enjoy some time being off-call she will travel with her family. If she needs to quietly hold space in a hands-off way during a birth, she’s been known to make use of her knitting skills to pass the time. I could go on … so please just enjoy this video interview with Dawn Star and see for yourself what a unique and wonderful person she is. Contact information for Dawn Star can be found below so that you can reach out to inquire about her services as a birth or postpartum doula, private childbirth educator, for bellycasting or even for leading gatherings to honor a pregnant person or a new baby for those who may not have an existing religious community to provide that kind of service. Dawn Sarahs-Borchelt She/her/hers dawnstar@largercircle.org 301-283-4545 www.largercircle.org Facebook: LargerCircleBirth Instagram: dawnstar.sarasborchelt Birth Doula Fee: $1200 Serving the Greater Philadelphia Area - within 1 hour drive of Bala Cynwd  Whenever I have the chance to catch up with Chris Golcher of Christine’s Care and Compassion, I’m not surprised at all to hear that she has recently completed yet another certification to add to her already broad set of skills as a birth worker. Chris has been a birth doula for 7 years and has attended over 50 births during that time. Along with working as a birth doula, she’s also certified as a postpartum doula, a lactation counselor, a childbirth educator, an aromatherapist, an herbalist for the childbearing years, a certified Friend of Breech Babies, a certified bereavement support person and a newborn care specialist. Chris makes her home in Fittler Square, having been a Philadelphia resident for just about as long as she has been a birth worker. Many years had passed since her own experience of birthing and raising her own babies when at age 51 her best friend attended a birth doula training and shared with Chris about the work. The idea of birth work rekindled the same passions that she had felt in her own years of early parenting. Her job as an office manager for a physician was offering no comparable sense of passion, and so Chris took the leap into the world of birth work. Now that she works to support people through pregnancy, birth and early parenting Chris easily identifies this career as the most fulfilling work she has ever done in her life. She thinks that it’s amazing that she could find work so rewarding in a career that she didn’t even know existed until she had already lived on earth for over half a century! Now that she’s doing this work, she’s found it to be even more rewarding than she could have ever expected. It’s not just gaining such an impressive collection of certifications that makes Chris stand out - it’s the way that she takes this knowledge and applies it as wisdom in the way that she honors the wishes, dreams and goals for each individual client’s birth. She recognizes that it’s her unique role to support a woman in the choices for what she wants for her childbirth and postpartum experience. This wealth of tools and the expertise that Chris has developed in using all of these skills enable her to expand her clients choices and options, translating Chris’ skills into her client’s personal power. While she is honored to help and support people through any and all kinds of birth preferences and scenarios, Chris feels like she is able to use her greatest breadth of skills when she supports a client who wishes to have a natural, unmedicated birth. She recalls an “in her element” moment, using hydrotherapy in the tub along aromatherapy to help support a laboring mama through her contractions. Chris has experienced a variety of hospital settings for birth, and especially likes to support births at Pennsylvania Hospital, Einstein Montgomery and The Birth Center at Lifecycle Woman Care. She sometimes finds it challenging to work in hospital setting where evidence based practices aren’t used, however she knows as a doula she has a special role there to help her clients know what the most up to date evidence supports, so that her clients can make informed decisions in any and every birth place. Chris names a few favorite books as ones that she regularly recommends for expectant clients to read - Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn, The Birth Partner, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, and The Baby Book by Dr. Sears. For those who might not have the time to read a book cover to cover, she likes to send clients to these websites - Spinning Babies, Evidence Based Birth, La Leche League, Kelly Mom, and Ask Dr. Sears. After a long labor Chris shows care and compassion for her own self by sleeping as much as she can and having a healthy meal. If it was a really physical labor for her, she will treat herself to a massage or a chiropractic visit. When she is off-call, she loves to go visit her family, or have them come to the city to visit her. I’m sure that Chris doesn’t play favorites of her three grown children when it comes to who she visits with, but if any family member were the favorite, it would probably be her 18 month old granddaughter who would win out. Chris has found so much joy in being a grandparent! When I’m helping someone explore their options for area doulas, I’ll often ask if they envision their doula being more like a peer, a mother or a grandmother. There is the benefit to having someone younger and carefree who hasn’t had their own children, those who are currently parenting their own young children, and is so beautifully exemplified in Chris, a doula who possess the wisdom and maturity that only comes from reached “grandmother status” Chris’ years of experience in life contribute to the sense of calm and maternal comfort that she brings to the birth environment, that her clients express and appreciate. Check out my interview with Chris to get a sense of her bright yet calm presence, and look below for information for how to get in touch with Chris if you’re interested in hiring her as your doula. Christine Golcher (She/her) ChrisGolcher@gmail.com * preferred method of communication 215-287-4915 www.ChristinesCareandCompassion.com Birth Doula Fee - $1200 Serving the Greater Philadelphia Area - Up to one hour of travel from Center City Facebook - Christine’s Care & Compassion  There are many, many reasons why I like Marcella and have eagerly recommended for people in my classes to consider her as their doula. Sure, just from being her Facebook friend it was clear that she was a smart professional, a loving mother and well-respected and esteemed by the people in her life. But it was the opportunity to meet her face-to-face for the first time that has forever endeared me to her. When my own baby #4 was giving me utter grief from within the womb (that’s a story for another day!) Marcella reached out with encouraging words, and took time out of her busy life as a birth and postpartum doula, placenta encapsulator and mama to four of her own (who she also homeschools!) to make a meal for my family. Our first face-to-face meeting was at my own front door, with Marcella bearing the gift of Shepherds Pie and homemade soup. In that moment she embodied the doula spirit - showing up, being a compassionate nurturer, handling a million things and making it look easy, possessing the kind of warmth that makes it feel natural to share a hug even when it’s the first time you’re meeting in person. So let me brag on Marcella a little, give you a glimpse into who she is, how she works and why she just might be the absolute perfect doula for you. Marcella is a DONA Certified birth doula with 8 years experience and over 115 birth under her belt. She’s also a postpartum doula and offers placenta encapsulation services. Like many doulas you may meet, it was her own experience as a birthing person that led to Marcella’s becoming a birth doula. As she tells it, “After feeling unsupported and uneducated about the birth process after giving birth for the first time in 2007 to my daughter Sofia, I knew I wanted to know more and to give birth differently the second time. After seeking out much information and different care providers I had given birth for the second time to my first son in 2009 and left the experience feeling very positive and empowered. After having given birth in completely different way and knowing I did it and it was possibility for other birthing people to as well, I wanted to support them and play a role in bettering birth experiences for others!” Ultimately as a birthing person, Marcella has personal experience giving birth in a few different ways. After her first medicated hospital birth, she had a second and third births in the hospital, unmedicated and midwife-supported, welcoming son Joey who was caught by midwife Sue Brunk, and another son, Roman who was caught by midwife Vicky Ferguson. Finally, baby number four, her son Adrien, came at home under the care of one of Marcella’s birth heroes, CPM Karen Webster. Marcella feels, and I have to agree, that having these different birth experiences helps her to better support her clients.  On top of her service to clients and care for her own family, Marcella has managed to continue to grow and learn professionally, attending workshops such as Dancing for Birth, additional labor doula training through CAPPA, Hypnodoula training, as well as several workshops focusing on Optimal Fetal Positioning and Pelvic Bodywork and Rebozo training through Blossoming Bellies. One of Marcella’s favorite resources for the clients she serves is Evidence Based Birth. She wants to make sure that she is able to provide her clients with up to date, evidence-based information so that they can make informed choices about providers, birthing locations and the way in which they want to give birth. Some other favorite resources are the films The Business of Being Born and Why Not Home. In addition to her own home birth midwife Karen Webster, Ina May Gaskin, and Penny Simkin are among Marcella’s “birth heroes.” Marcella describes what it feels like to her to be “in her element” as a birth doula — “The births that I attend that, in the moment, when my client is struggling to manage labor especially if they have previously been managing well, they suddenly are having a hard time and it becomes clear that at this point they may decide to seek other pain management. When it is clear to me that since I encouraged them to get in a certain position, encouraged their partner to try something else, I used certain comfort touch measures or gotten them something to provide more relief this is when I definitely feel like I’m doing the work I should!” You’re probably wondering how someone with four kids of her is able to handle the demands of the on-call life and manages to show up for labors that could start at any time and might go on for 4 hours, 14 hours or 24 hours. Marcella shares, “It has taken some getting used to being on call, going to a birth and then not knowing when I’ll return home with a family of 6 of us. I am in a much better place for this work now from practicing better coping techniques personally. Knowing that it always works out as well as having the support of my family. When it comes times to bid farewell to each brand-new-family she serves in order to return to her own, her ritual for unwinding after a birth prioritizes an immediate trip to her own bed to grab a little make-up sleep. After that she enjoys time with her family and their post-birth tradition of ordering dinner out - sometimes Thai food from Circles or Celebre’s Pizza - watching a moving, relaxing and heading to bed early. When she has the chance to be off-call, she’ll take advantage of a weekend getaway with her family or partner. In the winter that might mean heading to the Poconos or Poughkeepsie, New York for fun in the snow, skiing, snowboarding or tubing. In the summer months, Marcella sets aside time from taking birth clients and focuses just on some postpartum and placenta encapsulation clients so that she can getaway with her family to their model trailer home-away-from-home at the Jersey Shore. Beside leaving Philly, it’s just nice to take advantage of pockets of time off-call to spend time with friends knowing that she can stay up too late and not worry about being called in for a birth. Check out the links below for more information about how to reach Marcella and follow her on social media. Below that you'll also find the YouTube link to my in-person interview with Marcella. Marcella DeRosa (She/her) bornwithlovedoula@gmail.com *preferred communication method 215-892-7207 bornwithlovebirth.com Birth doula fee: $1000 Serving the Greater Philadelphia Area and South Jersey Instagram: bornwithlovebirth Fb: Born With Love Birth  How to do justice to Seena with words on a page? Impossible! I’m so glad that there is the companion video for you to enjoy alongside this post, because the energy, compassion and treasure that is Seena just cannot be captured in mere type font. I first met Seena when I interviewed her as a prospective member of the Philly Doula Co-op, (from which I have had to retire to being an honorary member but of which she is still an active member.) Seena has so much enthusiasm for the work that she does and that was evident just on the phone, but oh-so-evident when she spoke passionately about her love for birth work upon our first meeting. It’s clear that Seena has integrated the wisdom from her personal life’s journey along with her different skills as a professional to become the kind of person who is such an ideal fit for doula work. While I’ve sat through meetings with Seena and enjoyed coffee dates with her around Philly, it was coming to her home for our interview together that gave me an even greater appreciation for all that she has to offer. Seena seems to have focused in on the richest parts of life, and pushed them to the front and center. Her home is filled with her own artwork, with books that have taught her along the way, with evidence of the special meaning that her faith tradition brings to her life, with pictures of her family through the many stages of life, down to her own in-home studio where she can teach private yoga classes or hold Soul Collage gatherings. There are things that we *know* are sweet stuff of life, the most important - family, creativity, faith, work & home balance - and Seena’s home shows that she has made these things a priority. I think that’s key to why Seena seems to have so much to give! Seena is the kind of person who you might describe as a firecracker - a small package, but with lots of energy! She credits the influence of her parents for her ability to tap into both the gentle and powerful parts of herself. She describes her father as “gentle” and her mother as “anything but,” so she grew up understanding the time, place and purpose for when to offer gentleness and when to offer firmness. I can easily imagine someone choosing Seena as their doula because they know she will offer a calm presence, but will also rise to the occasion when fierce & enthusiastic encouragement are needed, or when a firm placing of the foot helps to hold the space for a birthing person to feel protected from unwanted medical interventions. Being a part of the Philly Doula Co-op gives Seena the confidence to serve her clients well, knowing that if something unforeseen arises that causes her to need backup, she has trustworthy colleagues to rely upon. She will often find herself at a birth reaching out to the other members of the co-op to help give her encouragement, fresh insight or to help troubleshoot a tricky situation while at a birth. I love how Seena describes her after-birth ritual, which you should just watch the video to hear in her own words. As doulas, we often say to pregnant people that “how you do life is how you will do birth.” That seems to follow for doulas as well, that a wise doula will use all of the best parts of themselves, all of their best strategies from life to apply towards their birth work. Seena’s after-birth self-care rituals of warmth, water, nourishment and rest and holding space for her own recovery all reflect the mindful approach she takes toward life - or what she describes as “sacred attention.” I’m always, ALWAYS so happy when I hear from one of my birth class students that they have chosen Seena as their doula, knowing for certain that they will be cared for above and beyond. Check out the links below for more information about how to reach Seena and follow her on social media. Below you'll also find the YouTube link to my in-person interview with her - enjoy! Seena Elbaum (She/her) seenabeth36@gmail.com*preferred method of communication 215-808-6852 Birth Doula Fee: $1200 Serving Philadelphia, The Main Line and South Jersey seenaelbaum.com Facebook: Birthing Mindfully |