Frequently Asked Questions

ABOUT DOULAS & SUPPORT

  • A doula is a non-medical support person, whose role is to care for you and your birth partner and family - not clinically, but emotionally and practically - throughout pregnancy, labour and the early postpartum period. A doula provides emotional, physical, educational and informational support, helping you feel confident, informed and empowered through your transition into parenthood and in navigating the modern maternity system. My focus is on your experience - Think of a doula as someone who ‘mothers the mother,’ ensuring you are supported, heard and guided throughout your journey.

  • I provide continuous emotional, physical educational and informational support for birthing women and birth partners. I provide you with evidence based information and strategies to make fully informed decisions about your baby and your own health, treatment and care. A doula safeguards the “birth bubble”, by tending to the birth environment, protecting your privacy and fostering calm, a doula supports the hormonal cascade that labour relies on - while providing practical comfort measures and empowering your birth partner to be an active, confident support. 

  • Is a doula “essential”? No, not in the same way oxygen is essential. More like hair and makeup on your wedding day - you could do it yourself, but having a calm professional there changes the experience entirely. Having someone whose entire job is to hold space and work is centred entirely around you - That’s something many families are very glad they invested in. 

    The difference between a doula and your birth partner or support person - Your birth partner brings the irreplaceable love and personal connection that fuels oxytocin, while a doula brings steady guidance and experience navigating birth and the maternity system - together, creating the calm, supported environment labour thrives in.

  • That is completely understandable! Birth is intimate and should be private and unobserved – however, our prenatal work will allow us the time to build trust, connection and safety, so that I no longer feel like a stranger. Prior to booking with me, I highly recommend booking a Meet and Greet session, so that we can connect, make sure that we are a good fit and aligned.

When & how to hire a doula

  • Ideally, reach out as soon as you are considering doula support, so we can secure your birth month, as I only take on limited numbers of clients each month. Additionally, the earlier we connect, the more time we have available to begin building a strong connection and trust. 

    However, even if you are in the late stages of pregnancy, if I have availability for your birth month, depending on what you are seeking, we may still be able to make a package option work for you, with limited time available, pre-birth. 

  • Most definitely, because no two pregnancies, families or circumstances are the same. Packages can be tailored with extra prenatal sessions, postpartum visits, switching sessions where required or additional support to meet your individual needs. Just get in touch and I’d be happy to work something out that suits. 

  • Investments vary depending on the package and level of support. Please reach out to discuss the options and which package best fits your support needs. I provide a clear breakdown of costs upfront, which you can view here, on The Birth Ally website.

  • Birth can sometimes be unpredictable, even when we do the work and make plans! I recognise the nature of birth work and so try to be as flexible and empathetic as possible, while also providing you with clarity around what I can and can’t do. I would encourage you to read my terms and conditions and service agreement, as available on The Birth Ally website, which outlines the small print, when things don’t go the way we might have planned. 

  • Start by reaching out and then we can organise a Meet and Greet session, over coffee or tea, at a location convenient to you or if preferred, at your home. This initial meeting is at no cost and obligation free – it gives us the chance to see if we click and are the right fit to work with one another. I strongly encourage your birth partner or birth support to be involved in this screening process also.

    I encourage you to take some time to discuss this with your birth partner and if you wish to go ahead in booking me as your doula, we can move forward. A signed Service Agreement and a booking fee of 50% of the selected package price is required to secure your birth month and on-call period. On-call availability is offered on a first-in, first-served basis.

    Following this, we can start preparing for your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey together and booking in our Doula Dates.

During Labour

  • If you’re wondering whether to call - that’s usually your cue to call. I’d much rather hear from you early so we can talk through what’s happening. While any medical questions or concerns need to be directed to your medical team, we will assess together when in-person support would be most helpful.  

  • We’ll decide together based on your comfort and labour progress. I can begin support at home or meet you at your birth location when it’s time.

  • Babies occasionally like to surprise us! If labour progresses rapidly and I can’t arrive in time, I’ll support you virtually via phone or text until I can join you. But know, that when I am on call, I always keep my birth kit ready and I’m ready to go once you or your birth partner call. 

  • In rare circumstances, such as illness or unforeseeable circumstances, a backup doula will be arranged to provide you with support during your birth. The backup doula will be provided with your birth preferences and birth information as we have discussed in the lead up to your birth, to ensure they are able to provide you with the support as planned. 

  • My role isn’t tied to a specific type of birth, but to supporting you within it. I support public and private hospital births, birth’s in birth centres, private and MGP home births, medicated or unmedicated births, caesarean births, VBACs or whatever you might choose for your birth. 

    I do not however, attend births that are planned without a registered medical care provider present (free births). 

  • Yes, birth doesn’t have to take just one form or path, to be an incredible and powerful experience. My role is to support your informed choices. I provide education, guidance, and reassurance so that you feel confident in making decisions that are right for you and your baby.

  • With your prior written consent, I most definitely can take candid photos during labour, birth and those tender first moments as a family, using your phone or mine, as the moment allows and feels appropriate. However, my priority is supporting you, so  dedicated professional birth photography may be a better option if you want to ensure you capture the moment in greater detail. 

After Birth

  • Yes, typically 1-2 hours after birth, as needed. I quietly support you while giving space to bond as a family and help you settle into your first moments with your baby. This may also look like providing gentle guidance around the first feed, providing you with post birth nourishment and hydration in those early stages and organising your space, clearing away what you no long need and setting you up your postpartum nest. 

  • I do!  Postpartum support including planning during the prenatal stage is hugely important and sometimes overlooked. Once baby has arrived, I will visit you to provide practical help, newborn guidance, emotional support, general feeding advice and a listening ear to unpack your birth experience and to help you navigate the early weeks of parenthood. After all, they do not come with an instruction manual and this stage can feel overwhelming at times! 

  • I can assist you with general breastfeeding support, such as positioning, latch and confidence in feeding. For more complex lactation issues, I can refer you to a certified breastfeeding consultant (IBCLC).

Other Common Questions

  • It is preferred! I encourage the active involvement of your partner or support person in prenatal sessions, so we can get to know one another, plan together and practice hands-on support techniques, while also preparing them to be the best support person for you during labour and postpartum. 

  • I strongly encourage that families engage in additional antenatal education, such as hypnobirthing or childbirth classes, of which I can provide you with recommend options. A doula should not be your sole source of information and while our work has an educational component, our time together will also be used to complete planning around your birth preferences and discussing how I might support you on the day. Engaging a separate antenatal education class, will complement and extend on our one-on-one sessions.

  • Yes! Gift vouchers are a thoughtful way to provide expecting parents with meaningful support, during one of life’s biggest transitions – how many soft toys or swaddles can one baby need, after all? Vouchers start at $200, which can be applied to prenatal care and planning or a postpartum visit and support.

  • I provide support throughout Metro Adelaide. However, virtual support is also available for clients further afield. If you are outside of Metro Adelaide, please get in touch to see if we can arrange a package that will meet your needs.