Birthing Ways-Doula Connection

My name is Molly LaFreniere, having a doula was the best choice I made during my pregnancy. My doula (Sarah Bly - who is also pregnant at the time), worked hard to make sure I had all the information I needed and even did research on her own for my own special needs during the pregnancy. My labor was four and half hours long. I woke up around midnight and couldn't go back to sleep. I started having a contraction here and there and about 2am I realized that I was in labor. I texted Sarah and told her to meet me at the hospital in about an hour. My husband was up with me from 1am to 2am helped me by rubbing my back and letting me use him as my personal squeeze bag. haha! We drove to the hospital and Sarah got out of the car and came over to my side of the car and helped me out. I started to have a contraction and she immediately jumped into her doula state of mind. She walked behind me and started pressing on pressure points in my lower back. It would feel REALLY good but painful at the same time. Once I got into the birthing room of the hospital Sarah helped me undress and get a urine sample for the doctors. She was right by my side every min. that I needed her. My husband was still very tired and he was on the other side helping me with the pain. Sarah encouraged me to stick with my birth plan, which was to move around as much as possible and not be hooked up to monitors during labor. The doctors let me move around and Sarah encouraged me to try different positions. All the labor pains sat right in my lower back and it was gosh awful painful - but when I was in doubt with tears running down my face Sarah got me emotionally back on track and right into the swing of things. I pushed for about an hour when our little girl Cadience LaFreniere entered the world. Cadi was 21 inches long and 8lbs 8 1/2 oz. She had a head full of hair and just down right beautiful! Sarah was like my sister through this whole birthing process and pregnancy. She was always there to answer my texts and e-mails whenever I had questions. If I was going to have more kids I would definitely use a doula again. My family is now complete with a loving husband, a two year old son Matthew, and a brand new baby girl Cadi. Thanks so much birthing ways to help educate a wonderful doula such as Sarah. Without her - I don't know if I could have done what I did. After being up since Midnight with my texts, Sarah went back to work that morning at 7 when my baby was born as 6:23am. Now that is a powerful woman!

"Holding the laboring mother in unconditional love
is the best gift a doula can give."

Crystal and Molly Grace rest in the first blissful moments after birth;

doula Sadie holds the space

WHERE THE HEART'S KNOWING MEETS ANCIENT WISDOM AND THE EDGE OF SCIENCE ... THERE LIES THE PATH TO FULL HUMAN POTENTIAL!

 

"Terra celebrating her successful VBAC with skin-to-skin with baby Mason waiting until her cord stops pulsating."

"My wonderful Birthing Team, thank you BWDC for providing me with two wonderful Doulas.
Being a student myself and knowing the value of teaching. I was excited to participate in the BWDC Mentor program. I loved having 2 Doulas. Thank you Sadie and Sara! I could not have a successful VBAC without my TEAM"

(Mentee Sadie Sigford, Dane, Terra, and Mentor Sara Weik)

“Please let Sadie know that I am very happy that she was there and that it was her first birth! She did great and didn’t freak me out...she will do great! and thank you soooooo much, I don't know what I would have done without u guys”

‎(photo of Sara Weik, Sadie Sigford, and Elizabeth Rose; Sadie shadowed Sara for her first birth...congrats Sadie!)

"I am so happy that I was able to get connected to Birthing Ways and to Sara. Keep up the good work that you are all doing! I don't think that I would have had NEARLY as positive of an experience (with pre-natal, labor and delivery, and post-natal) that I ended up having if it wasn't for Sara. For example, I would have gone in to the hospital much earlier to labor (if Sara wasn't here for support)
and I would have been miserable! Instead, I enjoyed the comforts of my own home and I only had to be in the hospital for an hour until Aislyn was born. Awesome! I can't wait to let other pregnant women know about doulas (because I had no idea)! "

If you would like to share a story and/or photo of your Birthing Ways-Doula Connection doula-attended birth, please contact as at info@birthingways.org.