MOTHERLOVE DOULA SERVICES

Jade Souza and Lora Clem

Jade and Lora have both been working with new families in the South Sound for the past six years. We chose to partner because of our shared commitment to informed and supported mothers. We believe all women need strong, unbiased support, whether they choose to have a natural or medically-managed birth. We provide caring emotional, physical, and informational support to women during the labor and postpartum period. As doulas we do not provide clinical services like a doctor or midwife. Rather, our services are intended to complement whatever clinical care you are receiving for your pregnancy.

Lora and Jade

Labor support: Our labor package includes a minimum of two private consultations, birth visioning, 24-hour on-call availability, continuous physical and emotional support for the duration of labor, support with breastfeeding initiation, at least two postpartum adjustment visits, and a keepsake letter to your baby telling their birth story.

Postpartum care: We provide postpartum support on an hourly basis in the home, including breastfeeding support, household management, emotional support, housekeeping, meal preparation, sibling care, and nighttime respite.

Our clients choose us:

• To be knowledgeable and emotionally prepared for birth and the new baby
• To have the presence of an expert who fully honors the parents as the directors of their birth and parenting choices
• To reduce the length of labor, and the risk of unnecessary interventions
• To determine the appropriate role for the father and/or other support people, and build their confidence and involvement
• To create a birth vision that meets the cultural, spiritual, and personal needs of the family
• To identify and address areas where more support or planning is needed
• To create a loving and sacred atmosphere around the birth
• To include and honor siblings in the birth and early life of the baby
• To ensure successful breastfeeding and early family bonding
• To address the emotional needs of the postpartum period, reducing the incidence of postpartum mood disorders

Jade relaxing at home with her children Ezra and Stella.

Lora provides respite to a mom at the Women and Girl's Gathering August, 2006.

In the Enterprise for Equity training we learned the importance of thoughtful marketing. Marketing sometimes gets a bad rap, particularly in our industry which so values integrity, but marketing doesn’t have to be manipulative. In fact, thoughtful marketing means that who we are is expressed in all of our materials and interactions with the public. Thoughtful marketing is simply good communication.