I want to give you all an exciting update on the status of my doula business. If you’ve missed the tid bits released through my stories the last few weeks, I’ve decided to form a doula partnership with 2 amazing, established StL-area doulas, Emily Bruce and Emily Reigelsperger. We’ve been meeting regularly working out the details of our trio, and we even met with a CPA to help us work out the financial details!
I truly believe solid partnerships like this are better for everyone involved. The birthing person gets access to the experience and expertise of THREE skilled doulas throughout pregnancy; there is little chance of the doula at your birth being a back-up you’ve never met as your doula team provides for back-ups that you are already engaged with; with a rotating call-schedule, you’re more likely to get a well-rested and fresh doula at your birth.
The doula team benefits as a call-schedule allows for a better work-life balance with off time that allows each to commit to and participate more fully in family and personal events.
The birth community as a whole benefits as quality doulas are less likely to experience burn-out due to the demanding schedule. With a manageable work-life balance, more women are likely to pursue birth work, and quality birth workers are more likely to stay in the field for the long term. Increasing the numbers of experienced birth workers available, has positive benefits for the birth culture and options available to the birthing families in a community.
I’m beyond thrilled for the opportunity to be partnering with these two women. Individually they've been offering high quality birth services for years, and I'm in awe of the amazing women they are. We feel our partnership is unique in that beyond each being doulas, we each have a background in medical work – myself as a Labor and Birth RN, Emily Bruce as a Postpartum RN, and Emily Reigelsperger as a Medical Assistant in a pediatric office. We are each comfortable in medical situations and communicating with medical personnel, should your birth require a medicalized setting. Our grouping also offers families the collective skills of a Certified Lactation Consultant, 3 DONA-trained doulas, experience with teaching childbirth education classes, Spinning Babies workshop trainings, and much more.
We will be offering Open House get-togethers each month so that prospective and current clients can better get to know each of us as baby approaches. Also, at these Open Houses we will introduce fun topics such as stretches to help ease pregnancy and facilitate labor, help you learn to identify what position your baby might be, and other items to enhance your birth experience.
Message me for more details about these Open Houses – the first will be Tuesday, November 12!
I’m so excited to be a part of this group, and the possibilities and benefits our team can offer to the birthing families of St. Louis!
More details and full bios to come, but I want to introduce you to the faces of our partnership!
