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Janine has three beautiful children. She resides in Eagan and provides services to the surrounding communities to include but not limited to St. Paul, Hastings, Burnsville, Shakopee, Woodbury and Maplewood. Janine has experience as a doula for 5 years having supported natural, C-Section, and VBAC births.
A doula provides priceless support. The ability to have someone by your side that understands the birthing process, to help encourage you by providing gentle words like "you CAN do this," "women were created to have babies," etc. is priceless. A doula can provide you womanly, nurturing support to help you achieve a beautiful birth.
What is a Doula?
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A doula provides physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth. A doula offers advice on comfort measures during labor and assist the women in this area. Doulas provide constant emotional support and reassurance for laboring mom. Consider the fact that a doula will do whatever possible to facilitate you having the birth you want. You are less likely to have more costly interventions if you have a supported and active labor, not to mention the priceless and lifelong emotional component of a happy and successful labor and birth.
A Doula provides:
- Emotional support
- Advice during pregnancy
- Exercise and physical suggestions to make pregnancy and birth more comfortable
- Help with preparation of a birth plan
- Massage and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures
- Positioning suggestions during labor and birth
- Helps to support the partner so that they can love and encourage the laboring momma
- Avoid unnecessary interventions
- Help with breastfeeding preparation and beginnings
- Many other possibilities that vary from doula to doula
What does a Doula NOT do?
Doulas do not (and may not) perform clinical tasks, such as blood pressure, vaginal exams, fetal heart monitor interpretations, etc. Doulas do not make decisions on behalf of the women or family. They always advise the woman to check with her caregiver before trying alternative remedies, i.e. herbs, homeopathies etc.
Does a doula replace my partner?
No. A doula and partner work together to ensure that all of mom's needs are met. While if you don’t have a partner a doula will be able to provide you all the support you need, if you do have a partner there will still be plenty your partner can do to support and assist you. Most partners find they are able to be more relaxed, focused, confident and competent when they are guided by a doula.
Why do a need a doula?
Women supported by a doula during labor have been shown to have: - 50% Reduction of cesarean rate
- 25% Shorter labor
- 60% Reduction in epidural requests
- 30% Reduction in analgesia use
- 40% Reduction in forceps delivery
When should I contact a doula?
Whenever you would like. Typically you should book your doula by the time you are 20-24 weeks pregnant. The sooner the better!
What is a Doula?
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What is a Doula?
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The word, Doula, comes from the Greek word for the most important female slave or servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who probably helped the lady of the house through her childbearing. Doula, a word that refers to a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth.
Birth Doula
A birth doula helps women as they become mothers, for the first time or again, supporting women mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically during pregnancy, labor, childbirth and immediately after. A birth doula assists in preparing and carrying out birth plans, provide access to information about the physiology and experience of pregnancy and birth, and offer non-clinical advice and encouragement to women becoming mothers. Through active listening and by offering a consistently supportive perspective based on sound research and collective experience, a birth doula accompanies a woman as she develops and reinforces her own confidence, relaxation control and mental and logistical preparedness for the many demands that come with becoming a mother.
Postpartum Doula
A postpartum doula helps women as they begin to mother their newborn children, supporting women mentally, physically, emotionally and logistically during the long weeks after childbirth when the expanded family bonds and adjusts its routines to welcome its newest addition(s). Postpartum doulas assist in adjusting to life with newborns, provide access to information about newborn care and development, and offer non-clinical advice and encouragement through active listening and a consistently supportive perspective while accompanying a woman as she develops and reinforces her own confidence, relaxation control and mental and logistical preparedness for the many demands that come with mothering a new baby.
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Will Insurance Companies Pay For Doulas?
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Most insurance companies do not cover the services of a doula, however, we have found that some do. The following is a list that a cohort has been able to determine some coverage for doulas:1. Oschner HMO, Louisiana
2. Aetna Healthcare
3. Travelers
4. Fortis Insurance
5. Qualchoice
6. Blue Cross/ Blue Shield PPO
7. Blue Cross/Blue Shield
8. Cigna
9. Foundation for Medical Care
10. AltPro
11. Wausau Benefits, Inc
12. Professional Benefits Administrators
13. Humana Employers Health
14. Glencare Managed Health Inc.
15. Summit Management Services, Inc
16. Lutheran General Physician's Organization
17. Elmcare, LLC, C/O North American Medical Management
18. Prudential Healthcare
19. Great-West Life & Annuity Ins. Co.
20. United HealthCare of Georgia (San Antonio, TX)
21. HNTB, Peoria, IL
22. Houston New England Financial, Employee Benefits, Fort Scott, KS
23. Maritime Life
24. Degussa, a German Chemical Company
25. Baylor Health Care System/WEB TPA
26. Medical Mutual
27. United Health POS
Check with your insurance company.
Many health insurance plans and most “pre-tax health accounts,” such as Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA), will reimburse doula fees. Janine will provide documentation needed to file claims for insurance and health account reimbursement.
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Birth Doula Package
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The Birth Doula Package Includes:
- 2 prenatal visits
- 1 postpartum visit
- Within the first 7 days at home or at the hospital depending on your length of stay
- 24 hours on-call from 2 weeks prior to your estimated due date until the birth
- If desired, assistance with breast feeding and will stay up to 2 hours after the birth
- Continuous phone and/or e-mail support.
- Attend doctor appointments with you if you wish
- Attend birth classes with you depending on my schedule and availability
- Continuous, caring support at the labor and birth, starting at home or at the hospital and ending at the birth
Doulas do not:
Perform clinical tasks, such as blood pressure, fetal heart checks, vaginal exams, and others. I am there to provide only physical comfort, emotional support, and advocacy. Make decisions for you. Rather I will help you get the information necessary to make informed decisions and will remind you if there is a departure from your Birth Plan.
During our 1st Visit:
- Please have your husband, or partner present
- This meeting is to become acquainted, talk about my background, training, and experience and you can describe your priorities, concerns fears and questions regarding your upcoming birth
- This meeting does not obligate you to select me as your Doula
During our 2nd Visit:
- We will talk about the preparation of your birth
- Develop your birth plan
- Practice positions for labor, relaxation techniques such as massage, and other comfort measures, and go over basics of breastfeeding
During and After The Birth:
- Unlimited support using comfort measures, and encouragement
- Run errands if desired, such as: food, coffee, personal care items etc.
- 1 postpartum visit at home to discuss birth. Typically within the first 2 days after being released from the hospital or clinic, or after birthing at home
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