Words from families we have served
From Autumn: Jessica joined our pregnancy journey this summer when I was expecting our fourth child. I have always wanted a doula, but never had the opportunity to work with one.. I was thrilled when Jessica made herself available to us this summer for the pregnancy of my fourth daughter.
Let me begin by explaining that I was not an easy client to take on. I have a complex medical and pregnancy history that made me anything but your "typical" client. Having a history of pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery x2, extended bed rest x2, two surgical cerclages, 2 miscarriages, and a past cesarean delivery, I am sure my case would make any doula a little nervous. My desire was to have a calm, quiet, epidural free VBAC for my fourth daughter's arrival. I would have ideally delivered my baby at home, but given my past history plus the fact that my current pregnancy had the added risk of a two vessel cord, that was not an option for me. Jessica was very reassuring in letting me know that I could still achieve my ideal birth experience in the hospital setting. After meeting with my husband and I several times before labor set in, Jessica made me feel very confident in my decision to have a natural VBAC. She was very thorough in her suggestions for exercises, and mental meditations that would be necessary for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Jessica did everything she could to make sure my mind, body, and soul were prepared for delivery.
When I went into labor, Jessica was by our side the second we requested she be there. Her calming presence was exactly what I needed to keep me focused on the task at hand. She encouraged me to use the birthing ball (which I LOVED), as well as lots of moving around the room to help keep me relaxed. She introduced several essential oils which I am convinced helped keep me calm during my very painful labor. Jessica was there to help guide my husband when he needed help figuring out what I needed. Most importantly, she knew when to take a step back and allow my husband and I the space we needed during my labor.
I can honestly say that without Jessica's presence, I do not think I could have delivered my baby naturally. Just having her positive and calming presence was enough to remind me that I wanted a natural VBAC and I would do anything to achieve it! Things got intense toward the end of my labor...I was definitely screaming for the epidural during transition, but thankfully I made it through and delivered a healthy baby girl after just a few quick pushes! Jessica helped me achieve my perfect "I DID IT!!!" moment, and it was a moment I will cherish for life. Not many women can say they had a successful, epidural-free VBAC, but with Jessica's assistance I can!
Jessica is an amazing doula and would no doubt provide amazing support to anyone before, during, and after delivery. She has continued to be there for me even weeks after delivery if ever I have a question or concern. While my husband and I are now done having children, I can honestly say if I were to have more I would hire Jessica in a second as our support person! I would recommend her to anyone who wants a doula who listens to what her clients want and is truly there for the long haul! We will forever consider Jessica a part of our family for the role she played in helping us introduce our precious daughter into this world.
Let me begin by explaining that I was not an easy client to take on. I have a complex medical and pregnancy history that made me anything but your "typical" client. Having a history of pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery x2, extended bed rest x2, two surgical cerclages, 2 miscarriages, and a past cesarean delivery, I am sure my case would make any doula a little nervous. My desire was to have a calm, quiet, epidural free VBAC for my fourth daughter's arrival. I would have ideally delivered my baby at home, but given my past history plus the fact that my current pregnancy had the added risk of a two vessel cord, that was not an option for me. Jessica was very reassuring in letting me know that I could still achieve my ideal birth experience in the hospital setting. After meeting with my husband and I several times before labor set in, Jessica made me feel very confident in my decision to have a natural VBAC. She was very thorough in her suggestions for exercises, and mental meditations that would be necessary for a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Jessica did everything she could to make sure my mind, body, and soul were prepared for delivery.
When I went into labor, Jessica was by our side the second we requested she be there. Her calming presence was exactly what I needed to keep me focused on the task at hand. She encouraged me to use the birthing ball (which I LOVED), as well as lots of moving around the room to help keep me relaxed. She introduced several essential oils which I am convinced helped keep me calm during my very painful labor. Jessica was there to help guide my husband when he needed help figuring out what I needed. Most importantly, she knew when to take a step back and allow my husband and I the space we needed during my labor.
I can honestly say that without Jessica's presence, I do not think I could have delivered my baby naturally. Just having her positive and calming presence was enough to remind me that I wanted a natural VBAC and I would do anything to achieve it! Things got intense toward the end of my labor...I was definitely screaming for the epidural during transition, but thankfully I made it through and delivered a healthy baby girl after just a few quick pushes! Jessica helped me achieve my perfect "I DID IT!!!" moment, and it was a moment I will cherish for life. Not many women can say they had a successful, epidural-free VBAC, but with Jessica's assistance I can!
Jessica is an amazing doula and would no doubt provide amazing support to anyone before, during, and after delivery. She has continued to be there for me even weeks after delivery if ever I have a question or concern. While my husband and I are now done having children, I can honestly say if I were to have more I would hire Jessica in a second as our support person! I would recommend her to anyone who wants a doula who listens to what her clients want and is truly there for the long haul! We will forever consider Jessica a part of our family for the role she played in helping us introduce our precious daughter into this world.
From Alicia: My daughters birth was the healing birth I always wanted. I knew from the start that I wanted to take a more informed, holistic approach to my pregnancy and her delivery. So we decided on hiring a doula. I set up my interview to meet Jessica and was impressed from the start! She brought so much knowledge and such a wonderful personality to the table. I was excited to have her with us for our journey. Sadly, at 20 weeks we began battling preterm labor. I thought my natural friendly pregnancy was over. Jessica was right there every step of the way supporting and encouraging us. She would come and sit in the hospital with me, calm my fears, and helped educate me so that I could make the right decisions for our family. Between the phone, email, and in person support, she really made us feel as though we were family. Then the big day arrived. Unlike our laid out birth plan, we decided to have an induction. She helped me make informed decisions during labor, and supported all of our decisions. I couldn't have asked for a better person to have been with us. She calmed my fears, helped me stay focused, and achieve the healing birth I wanted. At the end of the day I didn't have a fully natural labor, and that's ok! A doula isn't just for some one planning for a natural birth. They are a friend. They are a partner for your delivery room. A doula is someone who supports you when you need it the most. I am so blessed to have had Jessica attend my daughters birth. She also took amazing birth photos for us. She has such a great eye for the important things you want to capture. Because of her we have the most beautiful photos of such a precious moment. I highly recommend her to anyone considering a doula. You won't just get a doula. You will gain a friend for a lifetime. Thank you so much for all that you did for us! We are forever thankful!
From Angela: I was pregnant with my 5th child when I hired Jessica to be my doula. She was wonderful! My 5th labor/delivery ended up being my hardest & most painful delivery. He was the largest I had birthed AND was born w/ compound hand (or nuchal hand?). Still, I was able to have a natural homebirth & I believe the support Jessica provided to me was a key part of a successful outcome. Jessica is passionate about helping women! She is very nurturing and in tune with what a mother needs throughout her pregnancy as well as labor. Jessica thoughtfully checked on me during my pregnancy, answered questions & provided resources, as well as emotional support. I highly recommend Jessica!
From Jon: When my wife told me that she wanted to use a doula for our second child, I was pretty opposed. It wasn't that I had any established opinions of doula's in my mind that caused me to have this aversion, but I am a man and also happen to be a nurse, and these roles caused me to question the need for an additional person in the room. As a man, I questioned the need to pay a stranger to be present to comfort and advocate for my wife and quite honestly, felt somewhat offended by the notion of having someone else assume that role. The thought of paying money to have someone else do that was very foreign to me. As a nurse, I did not think it was in line with more traditional/modern medical scenarios, and just did not think it seemed necessary to me if we had an adequate doctor and attentive nursing staff.
My wife had not had the birthing experience she had hoped for with our first child, and she wanted to do everything that she could to ensure she had more control the second time around. I agreed to meet with Jessica, to listen to what her role would entail, and was impressed with that initial encounter. Enough so that my preconceived notion that a doula was not necessary was cast away, and I agreed that it would be beneficial to my wife to hire Jessica. What I didn't realize at that initial encounter however, was just how beneficial Jessica would be in the months leading up to our daughter's birth. She was a constant resource for my wife when she had questions about nutrition, was a cheerleader for my wife as she prepared mentally for that big day, and when our daughter was in a breech position, it was Jessica that gave the spot-on instructions that got her back into correct position. The day that my wife went into labor, Jessica was helping me on the phone to download an app that would help me keep track of contractions and help remind me of when we should start heading to the hospital. We ended up pushing it very close with getting to the hospital in time for the delivery, as our daughter was eager to enter the world. It was a chaotic environment in the delivery suite as a flurry of nurses worked on my wife to prepare for the delivery. She was fully dilated and effaced upon arrival and we were waiting on the doctor to arrive. The room was full of nurses, and then the doctor, and it felt quite overwhelming. Jessica arrived during this flurry, having received the text that we were rushing to the hospital, she had made her way there as well. As our daughter was being delivered and attended to, Jessica observed that one of the nurses was about to hang an IV bag of pitocin to connect to my wife. We had explicitly stated in our birthing plan that she did not want pitocin as she had required it during her first delivery and wanted to avoid it this time if possible. Jessica struck a very delicate balance in my opinion of being professional, yet also ensuring she did her role properly as my wife's advocate by informing my wife that she was about to receive pitocin. I am grateful for Jessica being there in that moment to catch that, as I don't think I would have noticed it in my heightened state of adrenaline. As I write this, our daughter is now a rambunctious 2 year old that makes the thought of having another child a distant afterthought, but, if we were to ever be blessed with another pregnancy, there is no doubt in my mind that we would use Jessica again. I realize now that what Jessica offers isn't just her presence during that moment of delivery. It is the wealth of information she possesses that she so eagerly shares in the months leading up to that special day. It is the phone calls and text messages that your wife will get that encourage her when she is getting overwhelmed. It is clearly evident that Jessica has an abundance of knowledge when it comes to her role, but what is even more apparent is how passionate she is with helping mothers to have the most positive birthing experience possible.
My wife had not had the birthing experience she had hoped for with our first child, and she wanted to do everything that she could to ensure she had more control the second time around. I agreed to meet with Jessica, to listen to what her role would entail, and was impressed with that initial encounter. Enough so that my preconceived notion that a doula was not necessary was cast away, and I agreed that it would be beneficial to my wife to hire Jessica. What I didn't realize at that initial encounter however, was just how beneficial Jessica would be in the months leading up to our daughter's birth. She was a constant resource for my wife when she had questions about nutrition, was a cheerleader for my wife as she prepared mentally for that big day, and when our daughter was in a breech position, it was Jessica that gave the spot-on instructions that got her back into correct position. The day that my wife went into labor, Jessica was helping me on the phone to download an app that would help me keep track of contractions and help remind me of when we should start heading to the hospital. We ended up pushing it very close with getting to the hospital in time for the delivery, as our daughter was eager to enter the world. It was a chaotic environment in the delivery suite as a flurry of nurses worked on my wife to prepare for the delivery. She was fully dilated and effaced upon arrival and we were waiting on the doctor to arrive. The room was full of nurses, and then the doctor, and it felt quite overwhelming. Jessica arrived during this flurry, having received the text that we were rushing to the hospital, she had made her way there as well. As our daughter was being delivered and attended to, Jessica observed that one of the nurses was about to hang an IV bag of pitocin to connect to my wife. We had explicitly stated in our birthing plan that she did not want pitocin as she had required it during her first delivery and wanted to avoid it this time if possible. Jessica struck a very delicate balance in my opinion of being professional, yet also ensuring she did her role properly as my wife's advocate by informing my wife that she was about to receive pitocin. I am grateful for Jessica being there in that moment to catch that, as I don't think I would have noticed it in my heightened state of adrenaline. As I write this, our daughter is now a rambunctious 2 year old that makes the thought of having another child a distant afterthought, but, if we were to ever be blessed with another pregnancy, there is no doubt in my mind that we would use Jessica again. I realize now that what Jessica offers isn't just her presence during that moment of delivery. It is the wealth of information she possesses that she so eagerly shares in the months leading up to that special day. It is the phone calls and text messages that your wife will get that encourage her when she is getting overwhelmed. It is clearly evident that Jessica has an abundance of knowledge when it comes to her role, but what is even more apparent is how passionate she is with helping mothers to have the most positive birthing experience possible.
From Angela: When I was pregnant with my 5th baby, breastfeeding wasn't something I was concerned about. I had already exclusively breastfed 3 of my 4 children and felt like, by then, I knew what to do. However my 5th baby was not so easy to nurse. He was born with lip & tongue tie, had difficulty latching properly & by week 3 was not gaining adequately. In addition I was in terrible pain unlike ever before. I was devastated at the thought that I might not get to breastfeed my baby! I met Meghan at a LLL meeting & was impressed with her knowledge of breastfeeding. We contacted each other over the course of the next few weeks. She answered my questions, encouraged me and made sure things were improving. I am happy to say that I have been able to continue nursing baby #5!
From The Swails: Support: a word that can describe so many different scenarios. There’s mental support, emotional support, physical support…and, no exaggeration, Jessica provided all of these throughout our pregnancy journey. From the extensive education, in conjunction with her partner at Indy Birth Services, Ana Vallow, to the empowering conversations that helped us prepare mentally, they gave us the true confidence that we could make our labor dreams come true.
To put our journey into perspective, we always had the goal of natural labor, but we were honestly going to walk into that hospital, and wing it. Boy am I glad that He had a different plan in store for us. We didn’t connect with Jessica until about 30 Weeks in, which didn’t give us much time to get acquainted. She made us feel comfortable from the very start, though. So personable, knowledgeable, and with undeniable passion, we felt like we could discuss anything with her at the end of our first meeting. She wasted no time in getting to know us, educating us, and tailoring her coaching to best serve our personalities and relationship. She really set herself apart from the Doula program available to us through our hospital in her ability to make our experience completely individual and intimate. And her support didn’t stop once labor started. She met us at the hospital, made positioning suggestions to relieve some of the pressure off my husband, and then left us to it, with the reminder that we had the ability to make it. She was there to motivate us when labor reached the pinnacle of difficulty, and she was right there alongside us during the final check, which quickly transitioned into the pushing phase. There was no hesitation in her stepping in beside me at that point, and, alongside my husband, they worked together to coach me through the birth of our first child. She helped me learn to breastfeed, got us settled prior to our families arriving at the hospital, allowed us time to bond as a brand new family of three, and then helped us process our birth experience a few days later. She was there every step of the way, offering advice, friendship, and invaluable support.
My husband and I couldn’t be happier about the fact that our pregnancy journey led us to Jessica. If you’re at all questioning whether or not a Doula would be beneficial to you, stop, pick up the phone, and call Jessica right now. Believe us when we say, you won’t regret a single minute of it. We’re beyond grateful to have had her there to bring our daughter into this world, and we know you’ll be just as happy in your own experience with her on your side.
- Jessey, Jordan, and Josie Swails