Hello!
Congratulations on your pregnancy and upcoming birth! I would be delighted to talk with you about massage and doula services, whichever is your need.
I have been providing licensed massage to clients since 1997 and doula services since 2002. I have been honored to serve over 800 birthing families and hundreds of additional massage clients. I currently only serve clients in Seattle proper and a few points south.
I invite you to browse my site to discover why I might be the best doula for you. As you browse, you’ll find that I am a Jane-of-many-trades as I have also taught childbirth education classes, human anatomy (including cadaver lab), am a mental health therapist, and am the former creator and producer of a delightfully funny comedy show, The Mama-logues: a comedy about motherhood, an annual fundraiser for Open Arms Perinatal Services and WestSide Baby .
I welcome clients from all backgrounds and have experience serving LGBTQA+ families, and others, who are utilizing ART to grow their families.
My Philosophy & how I got here
I believe how we bring our children into the world matters. Birth ends, but parenting goes on for the rest of your life. My desire is for all birthing families to begin their parenting journey having had a supportive, empowering, bonding experience with their baby and each other. I know from my own experience as a parent that the ability to look back at your birth experience and say “I was strong, I made great decisions for my family, I was heard,” can serve as a touchstone for all your future parenting experiences.
My first experience assisting a laboring mother was in 1991, quite by accident. I was young and training to be a counselor. This birth experience was immensely impactful on me. It was the first time I saw anyone in a truly primal, all-body state. This birth and the amazing time I spent with the mother in the months that followed led me to realize that I needed to learn how to be in my own body so that I could help others do the same. I also learned that ultimately I wanted to work with birthing people and their families.
My work as a doula allows me to draw from a wide variety of skills I have accrued in both my formal trainings as well as experiences with each of the birthing families with whom I have worked. My knowledge of anatomy, how to listen deeply, where to touch and how – all of these help me to be a better doula. I love my work and feel very fortunate to be able to do something that I believe truly makes the world a better place.
The parents and families who have allowed me the honor of attending them through birth will tell you that I am compassionate, supportive, insightful, reliable, knowledgeable, funny and easy to be with. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss how I may assist you in your journey to parenthood!
Up close and personal…
Behind every doula is a supportive team maintaining the home-front. I am fortunate enough to have my wonderful husband Derek and our three energetic, red-headed boys (born in 2001, 2004 and 2009) on my team. We also have two sweet dogs and a flock of chickens, all of who that are happy to hear the news when I arrive home from a birth in the middle of the night. After living in Seattle for 20 years, we took a brief hiatus in northern California, but returned to our beloved NW June of 2016. My boys count themselves among the rare Seattle natives and have been know to complain about the sunshine. Look how clean and mannered my family is in this photo! This NEVER happens! Thanks to Lisa Baird of elizabethbairdphotography.com for engineering this small miracle.
Beyond my family, I have lots of other interests. I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to learning new things and trying out craft projects. I am an avid reader, yarn-crafter, animal-lover, gardener and I can make most anything out of duct tape. For eight years I produced a comedy show and fundraiser called The Mama-logues (trigger warning: this link does talk about suicide, but in a really funny way). Along with 4,000 other people, I am proud to have Seattle’s favorite librarian, Nancy Pearl, as my friend on Facebook and I should mention here that I may need a 12-step group to help me with my NPR habit.
a do-what?
Birth is one of the most intimate and transformative experiences. You may be wondering why you might even hire a doula. As you learn about doulas you may come across some pretty amazing statistics about how the presence of a doula can positively impact your labor. The Cochrane Library, 2011, Issue 2, published a review entitled Continuous Support For Women During Childbirth. The review analyzed 21 studies and found that birthing people who received continuous support were less likely than those who did not to:
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have regional analgesia
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have any analgesia/anesthesia
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give birth with vacuum extraction or forceps
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give birth by cesarean
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have a baby with a low 5-minute Apgar score
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report dissatisfaction or a negative rating of their experience
Full analysis of the review can be found here. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends continuous support during birth. Yay!
This is great news for families, but I believe it focuses too much on medical outcomes. I believe the more important research findings about doulas and continuous labor support pertain to your experience of labor. Have you found that people feel compelled to tell you birth horror stories? I believe that one reason this happens is that families are trying to make sense of their own birth experience or fears.
Families who have had doula assistance at their birth likely share a different kind of story. These families leave their birth experiences feeling accomplished, proud, and cared for. They feel heard, supported, accomplished, satisfied and confident in their choices, regardless of the medical details of their birth. These families have higher rates of breast/chestfeeding, lower rates of perinatal mood disorders, and have more positive feelings about their baby. This impacts not only individual parents and their babies, but also positively impacts future generations. What a wonderful way to begin the parenting journey!
Where I excel
It is important that you hire a doula with whom you feel 100% safe, comfortable and confident. I have many wonderful doula colleagues in the Seattle area. Most of us offer similar services, so here I would like to tell you why I would hire me.
Hands on support – My combination of massage, anatomy and counseling training help me to understand what you may want physically and emotionally. I have been an LMP and anatomy teacher for 20+ years which helps me to quickly tune into where my clients could most benefit from touch. I ‘see’ with my hands. One of my first doula clients was stunned that I could tell a contraction was coming before she could, just by watching her face or feeling her back.
Helping discover the essence of your birth experience – Every family holds the health of mother and baby as their highest priority in labor. But birth is so much more! Families deserve a larger vision for their birth. John Gottmann in his research on couples says that one of the predictors of long term relationship success is how a pair describes their meeting. If they describe how they met with warm loving feelings, regardless of the circumstances, they are more likely to report that they are happy together.
I believe this translates to parenting. It may not always be easy, but being able to look back on first meeting your baby, and having memories of feeling loved, supported, heard and strong at your birth can give you the strength to get through the tougher days of parenting. My experience as a counselor have aided me in becoming especially skilled at helping families find what it is that will help you achieve that positive birth memory.
Working as part of a team – It may sound very Stuart Smalley, but darn it, people like me! I am a funny gal and I usually carry chocolate. While that may sound like a strange thing to mention, humor, thank you notes and yes, chocolate, are some of the multiple ways I show staff at your birth place that I appreciate their loving care for you, that I understand my scope of practice and I respect their amazing job. The last thing a birthing woman needs is friction in her birth space so I pay special attention to developing positive working relationships at area hospitals and birth centers. My positive reputation as a doula precedes me with many birth practitioners. I have a number of midwives and obstetricians and other health care practitioners who recommend my services to their patients. I am also delighted to be a part of the new Swedish Hospital Doula Program team!
My work as a doula allows me to draw from a wide variety of skills I have accrued in both my formal trainings as well as experiences with each of the birthing families with whom I have worked. My knowledge of anatomy, how to listen deeply, where to touch and how – all of these help me to be a better doula. I love my work and feel very fortunate to be able to do something that I believe truly makes the world a better place.
At a Glance
Here's the brass tacks. My services include, at minimum:
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A free initial interview to discuss my services and to decide if we would like to work together.
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Two prenatal meetings to help prepare for your unique birth experience.
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On-call from week 38 of your pregnancy until you give birth.
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Use of TENS unit (optional).
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Physical and emotional support during your labor, birth and initiation of breastfeeding.
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24-hour support by phone or email beginning when you hire me.
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Photos/video (optional).
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Video and book lending library.
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Placenta encapsulation (optional).
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Two postpartum visits, one of which includes a 60-minute postpartum massage.
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Perhaps the gift of a swanky I LOVE MY DOULA onesie similar to the one modeled by the fashion-forward babies on this site.
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Access to me for the rest of your days – really! I enjoy hearing updates about the families I serve, am happy to offer myself as a parenting resource and would certainly love to help you welcome your next baby/babies if your family continues to grow.
I adhere to DONA Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics.
Fees: $3000. I am happy to provide my Client Service Agreement for complete details.
Area of Service: I attend births in hospitals, homes, and birth centers from North Seattle to Des Moines, WA (sorry, I don't travel east of Lake Washington).
You've read this far! Interested in testimonials from my clients? Click here.
Credentials
Education & Training
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Birth Doula Trainer – DONA International, 2016
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Childbirth Educator Training – Seattle Midwifery School, 2008, Great Starts Certification 2008
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Pregnancy & Postpartum Massage – Kate Jordan Seminars, 2004, certification 2004
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Birth Doula Training – Seattle Midwifery School, 2002, PALS Doulas certification 2006, DONA certification 2013
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Integrative Practices Program – Leadership Institute of Seattle, 1999
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Massage Practitioner Training – Brenneke School of Massage, 1997, licensed 1997
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MA, Guidance and Counseling – Bowling Green State University, 1993, registered counselor WA State 1995
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BA English & 2ndary Education – Fitchburg State University, 1991, teacher certification 1991
Work Experience
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2017 to present- Birth Doula Skills Workshop Instructor, Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations
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2013 to 2016 – Instructor of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Dominican University, San Rafael, CA
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2010 to present – Childbirth Educator, Great Starts/Parent Trust for Washington Families, Seattle, WA
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2010 to present – Instructor of Anatomy, Pregnancy Massage and Cadaver Anatomy, Discovery Point School of Massage, Seattle, WA
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2009 to 2012 – Instructor of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Seattle Reflexology and Massage Center, Seattle, WA
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2003 to present – Private Practice Birth Doula, Seattle, WA & Sonoma County, CA
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2002 to present – Instructor of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Green River Community College, Auburn, WA
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1998-2008 – Instructor of Prenatal Massage, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Kinesiology, Professional Boundaries and Ethics and Massage, Brenneke School of Massage, Seattle, WA
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1997 to present – Private Practice Licensed Massage Practitioner, Seattle, WA & Sonoma County, CA
Volunteer Experience
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DONA SPAR WA State – DONA International
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2017 DONA Virtual Conference Speaker Coordinator – DONA International
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Birth Doula Certification Reviewer – DONA International
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Creator and Producer – The Mama-logues: a comedy about motherhood, (CAUTION – mature themes and strong language but really fun!)
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Roots of Empathy Model Family (with my son Eben) – Lafayette Elementary School
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Group Facilitator – PEPS (Program for Early Parent Support) Seattle
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Postpartum Support International – Warm line volunteer
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Mom-to-Mom – Mom support volunteer, Jewish Family Services
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Patient Educator/Advocate – Center for Choice
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Patient Advocate – Aradia Women’s Health
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AIDS Hotline volunteer – NW Aids Foundation
Presentations
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Building a Better Birth Plan: Helping Clients Clarify Values in Childbirth
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Doubter, Believers, and Choices…Oh My! Teaching Medical Decision Making, Lamaze 2012
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Childbirth Preparation
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Touch Techniques for Birth Professionals
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Human Cadaver Lab for the Curious
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Ethics and Boundaries for Touch Professionals
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Prenatal Massage
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Awareness Wheel as a Tool for Self-Discovery
Backup
No doula can 100% guarantee their availability. Illness, scheduled away time, and simultaneous births happen. I am delighted to be working with Marni Campbell as my primary backup! Marni works solely as backup for my clients, so I can almost fully guarantee that I or Marni will attend your birth. I also collaborate with a number of other experienced doula colleagues for backup, in the unlikely circumstance that is needed.
Meet Marni!
All birthing people deserve to be supremely human in this most supremely human experience. They deserve to be seen, honored, heard, and supported. I have experienced giving birth and attending dozens of births that at the most intense moments in the birth process people are the most vulnerable. Birth work enables us to be allies to birthing people by intentionally clearing space for their voice, their desire, and their pain, and their joy.
Every birth I have attended has been spectacular, and no two have been alike. But the most vivid is the birth of my nephew in the foyer of my sister’s house, with me kneeling by her feet, trying to buckle her sandals. As I bent over her feet, I suddenly felt her lean her whole weight on my shoulders. “He’s coming
she said with a low, urgent voice. With the next contraction he dove into the world, strong and healthy, already himself. I helped her sit down, right there in the foyer in the puddle of blood and water and as she lifted her shirt, held him to her chest, she was incandescent.
I hope to support your birthing experience with care and respect. As your doula, I will create the space for you to have a birthing experience that will add to the story of your becoming.
About Me: I grew up in Eastern Canada (beautiful Ontario) and have lived in Seattle with my three children and partner for almost 30 years. I am a lifelong educator and have been a teacher and administrator in K-12 and post-secondary settings. I love creating learning spaces that are wide open, generous, and loaded with discovery. I am also a music teacher, musician (I met my husband in our college Orchestra), and devotee of open water swimming and poetry.
COVID-19 Policies
My household is fully vaccinated for COVID19 and influenza. I only work with clients with fully vaccinated households; everyone eligible in their home is vaccinated for COVID19 and influenza. I always wear a mask when in-person with clients. If I have a known exposure, or become infected myself, I will notify you immediately. I ask that you do the same if you have an exposure or become infected. If I have a known exposure/become infected, I will provide a backup for your labor.
I am willing to attend births in-person with a client with a known or suspected COVID19/influenza/RSV infection with PPE. I cannot guarantee that my backups will do this or that your birthplace will allow it. I or my backups can attempt to provide virtual support. Infection control policies at birthplaces change frequently. The remainder of the fee is due at the first postpartum visit even if hospital/birth center policy or client COVID19 status precludes my joining your labor.
Massage
I offer massage exclusively to birth doula clients at this time. If this is not you, I would recommend contacting Shelby O’Neil or Michelle Pearson.
Additional information about in-home massage for doula clients can be found by clicking here.
My web designer would like you to know that this embed is resized by the source at Doulamatch.net