Doula Support for Low to No Income
Donation protected
My hope is that one day, I will not have to charge my clients at all. That no individual will have to pay for Doula Services. They will be paid for by the community.
Do you understand the implications of having a Doula for pregnancy, labour, birth, and early parenting?
Hi from Anna of Womb Now Doula Services!
As a no-judgements Doula, I offer comfort and support to those in the perinatal period with a special emphasis on mindfulness, moon cycles, and maternal mental health. The clients I see first are LOW TO NO INCOME and I am accomodating to their financial needs. As well, I offer home-cooked meals, support in accessing inner city assistance resources, and free pregnancy & newborn supplies including maternity clothes, breast pumps, baby carriers, cloth diapers, newborn clothes, to name a few. Your support is appreciated!
The Doula provides evidence-based information throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Birth Doulas, like myself, are finished their job once parents and babes are settled into a comfortable routine of feeding, changing, and sleeping, AND are set up with RESOURCES to get them through the next phase of life which is parenting. Even if they have been parents before, this is a new child and a new opportunity with new resources that they may not have had before. Postpartum Doulas (which every Birth Doula should have in their Resources Package) are available for hire to help beyond that stage and well into a childs life.
The Birth Doula also provides emotional support throughout pregnancy, the birthing time, and just after, and makes sure that the right resources are available to the client to help prevent postpartum mental health issues. Emotion validation is a huge key factor in the interactions between clients and Doulas, and I always recommend that Doulas meet with their clients as early and as often in pregnancy as possible so that they can offer this validation as much as possible. Another big one is listening and allowing the client to work through the clients own past issues. I teach my clients mindfulness so that when they are in the birthing space they have the choice to call on that mindfulness - that space prior to thought - to avoid focusing on the past or the future... even the past contraction that tightened or the future contraction that may evoke anxiety.
The Birth Doula provides physical support to those in pregnancy, as well as those in labour and giving birth. The Doula is taught movement and support techniques and I actually have a background in both dance and massage therapy (I became a Registered Massage Therapist in 2004), as well as Therapeutic Thai Massage (aka passive yoga)... and lots of Yoga experience. This is used in pregnancy for relaxation, induction-support if needed, and practice for labour. This is used during labour for relaxation and pain relief (pressure relief), and during birthing for positioning. This can also be used just after the birth for helping the uterus return to its natural shape and to stop excessive bleeding.
This past June, I created a support group for mothers and their supporters, through all phases of motherhood, and through this group I offer Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gifts, and Touch (the 5 Love Languages) to those in motherhood who need it the most. For example, after a woman has a baby, I offer to go out to her with a basket of things she and her baby might need and I stay to chat with her about how things are going and offer resources, even if she has not been a client of mine.
Some of the items I keep in my Doula Bag are: a sterilized breast pump so that parents who are separated from their new babies may choose to pump breastmilk without having to wait for a hospital rental, heat packs and hot water bottles for pain or pressure relief during labour, cds and discman for relaxing music or spoken affirmations to listen to during pregnancy and labour, red raspberry leaf tea to strengthen the uterus, a TENS machine (to help with pain or pressure relief during labour), a few different kinds of Rebozos - these are special sheets of fabric used for many different techniques learned in a specialized course I took on Rebozo for labour and birth.
As a Doula, continuing my education is very important. I am consistently enrolled in courses to enhance my business skills as a Doula; I attend meetings and support groups as a mother myself; I do workshops and put up booths at shows. I have taken a course in Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss. And I am a Facilitator in Wellness Recovery. I am also constantly researching to stay up-to-date on the latest hospital policies and other laws which affect us and our clients, as well as trends and other articles.
As a business woman, I also have to promote my business. I make use of social media to the fullest extent with a facebook biz page and facebook groups, instagram, periscope, twitter, etc., but there are also advertising costs to get the word out.
I am very passionate about what I do for parents and about helping parents with specialized needs who rarely have the income to pay for my services. I have set up a creative space for children to work at during our group get-togethers at my place, as well as a playpen and a bassinett for the wee ones.
Your help will go directly on the costs of my equipment, further education, advertising, and costs for other needs that may arise for these clients.
With your help, we can help many - please share widely! I would be so grateful!!!! Love and blessings!
*To donate items rather than cash, or to book a Healing Arts Session (like an adapted Thai Yoga Massage or a Tarot Card Reading) at full price, text or call me at [phone redacted]
Do you understand the implications of having a Doula for pregnancy, labour, birth, and early parenting?
Hi from Anna of Womb Now Doula Services!
As a no-judgements Doula, I offer comfort and support to those in the perinatal period with a special emphasis on mindfulness, moon cycles, and maternal mental health. The clients I see first are LOW TO NO INCOME and I am accomodating to their financial needs. As well, I offer home-cooked meals, support in accessing inner city assistance resources, and free pregnancy & newborn supplies including maternity clothes, breast pumps, baby carriers, cloth diapers, newborn clothes, to name a few. Your support is appreciated!
The Doula provides evidence-based information throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Birth Doulas, like myself, are finished their job once parents and babes are settled into a comfortable routine of feeding, changing, and sleeping, AND are set up with RESOURCES to get them through the next phase of life which is parenting. Even if they have been parents before, this is a new child and a new opportunity with new resources that they may not have had before. Postpartum Doulas (which every Birth Doula should have in their Resources Package) are available for hire to help beyond that stage and well into a childs life.
The Birth Doula also provides emotional support throughout pregnancy, the birthing time, and just after, and makes sure that the right resources are available to the client to help prevent postpartum mental health issues. Emotion validation is a huge key factor in the interactions between clients and Doulas, and I always recommend that Doulas meet with their clients as early and as often in pregnancy as possible so that they can offer this validation as much as possible. Another big one is listening and allowing the client to work through the clients own past issues. I teach my clients mindfulness so that when they are in the birthing space they have the choice to call on that mindfulness - that space prior to thought - to avoid focusing on the past or the future... even the past contraction that tightened or the future contraction that may evoke anxiety.
The Birth Doula provides physical support to those in pregnancy, as well as those in labour and giving birth. The Doula is taught movement and support techniques and I actually have a background in both dance and massage therapy (I became a Registered Massage Therapist in 2004), as well as Therapeutic Thai Massage (aka passive yoga)... and lots of Yoga experience. This is used in pregnancy for relaxation, induction-support if needed, and practice for labour. This is used during labour for relaxation and pain relief (pressure relief), and during birthing for positioning. This can also be used just after the birth for helping the uterus return to its natural shape and to stop excessive bleeding.
This past June, I created a support group for mothers and their supporters, through all phases of motherhood, and through this group I offer Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Gifts, and Touch (the 5 Love Languages) to those in motherhood who need it the most. For example, after a woman has a baby, I offer to go out to her with a basket of things she and her baby might need and I stay to chat with her about how things are going and offer resources, even if she has not been a client of mine.
Some of the items I keep in my Doula Bag are: a sterilized breast pump so that parents who are separated from their new babies may choose to pump breastmilk without having to wait for a hospital rental, heat packs and hot water bottles for pain or pressure relief during labour, cds and discman for relaxing music or spoken affirmations to listen to during pregnancy and labour, red raspberry leaf tea to strengthen the uterus, a TENS machine (to help with pain or pressure relief during labour), a few different kinds of Rebozos - these are special sheets of fabric used for many different techniques learned in a specialized course I took on Rebozo for labour and birth.
As a Doula, continuing my education is very important. I am consistently enrolled in courses to enhance my business skills as a Doula; I attend meetings and support groups as a mother myself; I do workshops and put up booths at shows. I have taken a course in Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss. And I am a Facilitator in Wellness Recovery. I am also constantly researching to stay up-to-date on the latest hospital policies and other laws which affect us and our clients, as well as trends and other articles.
As a business woman, I also have to promote my business. I make use of social media to the fullest extent with a facebook biz page and facebook groups, instagram, periscope, twitter, etc., but there are also advertising costs to get the word out.
I am very passionate about what I do for parents and about helping parents with specialized needs who rarely have the income to pay for my services. I have set up a creative space for children to work at during our group get-togethers at my place, as well as a playpen and a bassinett for the wee ones.
Your help will go directly on the costs of my equipment, further education, advertising, and costs for other needs that may arise for these clients.
With your help, we can help many - please share widely! I would be so grateful!!!! Love and blessings!
*To donate items rather than cash, or to book a Healing Arts Session (like an adapted Thai Yoga Massage or a Tarot Card Reading) at full price, text or call me at [phone redacted]
Organizer
Anna Wells
Organizer
Edmonton, AB
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