Mothers need mothering, too!
What is a DOULA? A doula is an individual who offers non-medical support. Women who are supported show a statistically significant improvement in birth and postpartum outcomes.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 This means shorter labors, fewer interventions, healthier moms and babies, reaching breastfeeding goals, and reduced postpartum depression/anxiety. A doula works along side one's partner and does not replace them.
"Words cannot describe the amount of help Jarin was to me. She is incredible at what she does and any woman would be more than lucky to have her as their doula! I felt so cared for by Jarin, never alone, and so strong and empowered with her by my side. Jarin's empathy, helpfulness, strength, endurance, and compassion are unmatched. She is amazing. Our family was blessed by her presence! 10/10 Highly Recommended! " -Elle
In birth, my doula support is:
PHYSICAL: Massages, providing comfort & non-medical pain management, ensuring that the birth environment is as you want, protecting your space, holding your hand, providing a calm environment, suggesting positions favorable for baby's descent and better comfort, providing pressure points, breathing assistance, music, essential oils, and hip squeezes. I also guide and support your partner; we are your team.
EMOTIONAL: Encouragement, genuine caring, reassurance, listening, continuous presence, and providing support as needed.
INFORMATIONAL: Evidence based birth information, efficient birth positions, birth environment information, newborn care, nutrition, herbalism, microbiome, bonding activities, and breastfeeding.
In postpartum, depending on your needs, my doula support is:
PHYSICAL: Massages, creating nourishing foods and herbal teas, sitz bath w/healing herbs, picking up groceries, wiping down counters, holding baby so that you can shower, playing a game with siblings so that you and baby can rest, holding baby so that you can spend time with siblings, etc.
EMOTIONAL: Encouragement, genuine caring, a listening ear, reassurance, and conversation.
INFORMATIONAL: Breastfeeding, recovery, baby soothing, local resources, newborn care, postpartum nutrition, infant microbiome, and practical home management ideas with a new baby!
SERVICES
Birth Doula: $595
As your birth doula, I will provide physical, emotional, and informational support during most of your labor. Unlike a medical provider, a doula's presence is more constant and begins earlier in the labor process. I will be there to encourage you, remind you to change positions for optimal comfort and to encourage baby's descent, and offer other common comfort measures that can ease labor. A doula can show you ways, and guide your partner, to help with non-medical pain management. I will keep you hydrated, offer you food or a gentle massage, make sure that you feel safe, and having the birth that you know is right for you. I believe that in labor, women have an innate wisdom and should be in full control of their birthing experience. I also see myself as a support person for your partner; I will nurture both you and your family unit. If you are having a homebirth, I can be available to care for older siblings in addition to the other supportive measures.
Postpartum Doula: $25/hour
Traditionally, women have had a great deal of support following childbirth, sometimes for many weeks and months; it was a priority and part of the culture. Postpartum depression, fatigue, and anxiety are less prevalent when moms are nurtured and have ample support, nourishment, and when they can rest and recover with baby. Unfortunately, our society does not do this sufficiently, or at all. Parents often tell me they wish they had planned better for the postpartum period; so much planning goes into labor and delivery but not enough for the postpartum period. As your postpartum doula, I will come to your home as you and your partner need me. I will create & feed you nourishing foods & herbal teas, be a listening ear, and help with household management. This might include: taking baby so that you can rest or spend time with older children, shower, eat, picking up some of your groceries, washing baby's laundry, and helping you to get the information and support you need so that you can parent the way you want to parent.
ABOUT ME
My name is Jarin Weber. I have a background in children's mental health, and I've taught various social science classes as an adjunct instructor for 20 years. During this time, my passion and work have evolved into living a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, and raising my two children with my husband. I have a large organic vegetable garden, herb garden, mushroom beds/logs, and chickens. I enjoy making my own medicine with herbs and mushrooms, processing nutritious food, cooking, culturing/fermenting, etc. Over the last 20 years, I've also gained several experiences as a volunteer and paid doula. I've assisted families in mostly home births (but also hospital births), postpartum, and I was a doula for the Doula Teen Parenting program through the Women's Resource Center in Traverse City. I've given birth to two of my own children, and I have four years of cumulative, personal breastfeeding experience. More recently, I've completed DONA International trainings and immersed myself in all things birth and baby so that I can officially practice as a professional birth and postpartum doula!
It is my philosophy that birth is natural; women's bodies are prepared to give birth, and each birth is unique. Most births can safely take place without any intervention, and often, one intervention leads to further interventions. What parents need most is adequate support! Physical, emotional, and informational support leads to better birth outcomes for moms and babies. If you want a caring doula who listens, protects your space, respects your birth desires, works to make sure your voice is heard, helps to find effective birthing positions, pain management, and comfort measures, we will be a good fit.
Contact me if you have any questions! We can schedule a time to meet and go over your birth and postpartum goals and needs, and my services. I will come to your house, or meet with you at a coffee shop or library. I generally service Grand Traverse, Kalkaska & Wexford Counties, but I'm open to extending beyond those boundaries as needed.
Jarin Weber, MSW
Professional Doula (DONA)
231-570-0029
1. Bohren, M.A., Hofmeyr, G., Sakala, C., et al. (2017). “Continuous support for women during childbirth.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2017, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003766.
2. Johansson, M., Fenwick, J., & Premberg, A. (2015). “A meta-synthesis of fathers’ experiences of their partner’s labour and the birth of their baby.” Midwifery 31(1): 9-18.
3. Jordan, C. (2013). “Therapeutic presence and continuous labor support.” In Best Practices in Midwifery, Ed. by Anderson, B. A. & Stone, Sjourna. E.
4. McGrath, S. K. and Kennell, J. H. (2008). “A randomized controlled trial of continuous labor support for middle-class couples: effect on Cesarean delivery rates”. Birth 2008; 25:3.
5. Morton, C. H. and Clift, E. G. (2014). Birth Ambassadors. Texas: Praeclarus Press.