BirthTogetherRVA Services
Birth Doula Package ($1,200):
Two Prenatal Visits (Birth preparation for you and your partner, help creating a birth preferences document and preparing for postpartum. Available by phone throughout pregnancy)
Continuous Birth Support (On-call support around your birth, physical & emotional support during birth, advocacy in the birth space and support for the immediate hour afterward.)
One Postpartum Check-In (Emotional check-in and answer any questions you have regarding baby care and breastfeeding).
I work with a handful of doulas in order to always have a back-up doula available.
All birth doula clients receive a 20% discount on my childbirth class.
Birth Class Together ($220):
Birth Class Together is meant to equip you with the education you need to walk confidently into your labor and birth.
The curriculum for Birth Class Together is built on these guiding principles:
-Your body can birth a baby
-Birth is not always linear and varies as much as people vary.
-Education and Understanding can reduce fear and tension and therefore prevent unnecessary pain in birth
-Modern medicine is a gift and we are so glad to be able to utilize it when necessary, but birth is a natural process and does not need intervention when things are going well.
-Birth is physical, spiritual, mental, and relational.
In our three week class we will discuss, practice, and learn together while we engage topics like:
-Anatomy and physiology of birth
-Healthy choices, body conditioning, body posturing, and nutrition for a healthy and strong pregnancy, birth and baby.
-Relaxation, breathing, and mental preparation for labor, birth, and postpartum
-Stages and phases of labor, what they look like, feel like, and what you can do.
-Pain theory and management of discomfort in labor
-Partner support
-Fears
-Comfort techniques for labor
-Possible scenarios where medical interventions are introduced.
-Risks and Benefits of interventions and medical pain relief.
Birth Class Together is named with “integration” in mind and aims to:
-Integrate you into community in your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum season. This is a great opportunity to connect with other families in RVA who are preparing for this new season at the same time as you. You will get to hear from other moms and dads in the community about their experiences through our class’ Dad Panel and Birth Stories circle.
-Integrate your body, mind, and spirit in your preparation for birth and parenthood. We will talk about birth preparation in each of these areas.
-Integrate all learning styles, utilizing tactile activities, physical practice and both sides of the brain through a creative educational approach.
-Integrate spirituality into your education around birth. Your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey do not need to be isolated from your spiritual reality, but can be experienced with faith.
Beginning September 14 - Sundays 2 pm - 5 pm
November 2, 9, 16 - Sundays 2 pm - 5 pm
(This class is recurring, so ask about another month, if preferred)
You will receive a binder full of helpful information for your pregnancy and birth.
Snacks provided.
Class will be held at 1101 Bainbridge St in an open office space in the church.
To register, email me at birthtogetherrva@gmail.com
Birth Class Testimonial
“Could not recommend this class more! My husband and I took it based on a recommendation from a friend who knows Halie and it truly was better than I could have imagined. First, Halie is amazing and made us feel so welcomed and cared for as soon as we walked in day 1. She is clearly very knowledgeable, but teaches in an approachable way that isn’t just throwing material at you. It felt very personal and it’s clear that she cares that we were really understanding the material. The topics she chose to go over also just felt very intentional and covered everything I wanted to know, and more. Plus she had the best little snack selection each week which was such a fun bonus.
The class covered everything from stages of labor to birth preparation stretches to the way our bodies were designed to do this. It was in a digestible format that kept me engaged the whole time and there was plenty of space for questions throughout every class. At first I worried if it would be too long each night, but we truly didn’t want the class to end each week! Halie also had people come in and share their birth stories which was an awesome addition and gave the husbands time to ask other dads about their experiences with birth, which I feel like there isn’t always a lot of space for. We also talked about what different interventions were and when/why they could be needed.
During the last class, we watched a birth video, and I didn’t really know how I felt about it going in but it ended up being one of the best parts! It was a lot different than what I had imagined. It made birth a lot more human and possible than focused on fear and pain. It helped calm some fear that I didn’t even realize I had.
Halie offered so many helpful suggestions - like ways to create a calm space in the delivery room, encouragement that partners can give / ways they can be supportive throughout the process, and how to have a healthy mindset going into labor. I truly feel so much less fear and incredibly empowered to give birth after walking out of the class!
But the thing I'm most grateful for is how engaging it was for the spouses. I have since overheard my husband telling friends about different things we learned - stages of labor, how much less intimidating it seems, and answering other people's questions about birth and it's been so cool to see the confidence he has built before we walk into this major life event. He spoke so highly of this class which was not the case for any other classes we attended, and I really feel like this is the only one that was really worth it!
I could not recommend this class more! It has made me confident and excited (??? lol) for birth and I'm so thankful for that! I have been suggesting that all of my friends take it. This class would be great for anyone - whether you know a lot or nothing at all about the birth process - highly highly recommend!!” -AL
Birth Doula Testimonials
“I worked with Halie as my birth doula. My husband and I knew from the first conversation that we wanted to work with her. She has a very calming presence and I immediately felt very comfortable talking with her. As a nervous first time mom (and my husband being a nervous first time dad), we were grateful for her calming energy. She was an incredible support prior to delivery, checking in via text regularly and meeting with us twice to go over birth and postpartum planning. She supported my decisions and provided us with education/resources while working through my birth plan.
Day of delivery she was available as soon as I called her. She was an incredible physical and emotional support during the entire labor experience. I honestly don’t know if I could have made it through an unmedicated birth without her! I’m so thankful for her capturing my daughter’s birth and moments of us three immediately after. Postpartum, she checked in on us while in the hospital and once we were home, even bringing us a yummy meal. My experience couldn’t have been better and I’m so grateful for all of her help and support bringing my daughter into the world :) I can't recommend Halie enough! “ -RT
“Halie and I came together by fate and she was the biggest blessing in disguise. My doula I’d worked with throughout my pregnancy was at another birth and sent Halie in to help. Halie met us at the hospital and jumped right into action. No formal introduction was needed, from the minute she walked into the room till the moment our son was born Halie was there for both me and my husband. She was by my side through the very thick of it. Halie was hands on, she came prepared with so many tools to help me through the labor and more than that she helped us talk through tough decisions that had to be made. When my vision of the perfect birth started to crumble Halie was there to support me 100%. She continued to support me physically but more than that she was there for me emotionally, Halie made me feel heard and validated my feelings. Halie stuck it out with us for 29 hours straight until our son arrived and has continued to keep in touch through my postpartum journey. We will forever be eternally grateful for the love and support we received from Halie during our son’s birth. From being complete strangers to being present in one of life’s most intimate moments, we’ve got a new friend for life.” -LV