Hannah S. | Birth Doula in Bellingham, WA

Growing up the oldest of four kids, I always knew I was meant to be a mom. But I was terrified of the idea of childbirth because of the horror stories I had heard from my own mother and the women in my family. At that time, they spoke of the pain, failed inductions and emergency cesareans. After my husband and I decided to start trying for our first baby, I knew I needed to face my birth fears head on. The only thing to combat the fear of the unknown is to educate yourself. I read every pregnancy, birth and postpartum book I could get my hands on, listened to countless birth podcasts and took weekly prenatal yoga classes at a local studio. The most invaluable resource I turned to though, was my doula. She took the time to get to know me and understand my goals, fears and motivations. She educated my husband and I on what to expect throughout the birth experience. She helped us create a plan A, B and C and put our worries at ease. She taught us comfort measures, breathing techniques and various positions to help throughout labor. I believe that because we established a foundation (or roots) on the front end along with the labor support from both her and my husband, I was prepared and able to work through the pain and rise to meet the expectations of a successful birth as defined by me. I can only hope to do the same for other mothers and support people in our community.