Welcome to Baby Bump & Beyond

The overall role of a doula is to provide you (and your partner if you have one) with unconditional support throughout your journey.  For me, this begins with scheduled check-ins prior to delivery, continuous labor and delivery support and a postpartum visit after you and your baby are settled in at home.  While a doula should never give medical advice, they should help create a space for  you to ask the right questions and advocate for yourself and baby in what can be a highly charged environment.  The goal is to have as healthy a delivery as possible, while proving a safe space for you to feel respected, heard and supported.

It is important that you fully understand each decision you may need to make and how that action will fit into your birth plan.  I provide evidence-based information to help you develop a plan that fits you best, and will suggest additional resources as needed to help you feel prepared and empowered.  During labor, when you may feel especially vulnerable, I am there to remind you of your strength, your goals and to support you in your journey.

Many women are under the impression that a doula is only helpful at home births or if the mama wants an unmedicated birth.  My goal is to provide continuous support in whatever direction the labor and birth experience takes.  This can be in a hospital or your home, with pain management medications or without, with medical interventions or not.

If you are still not sure about how a doula can be helpful to you, please reach out for a consultation.  I will provide as much information as you need to help you make the decision that is best for you.  Scroll down for helpful questions to help your doula interview go well.

"I had complete confidence in my ability to birth my daughter, but needed help managing the hospital birthing space.  Elaine helped me feel safe, loved and protected throughout the labor and delivery."

                   - Anna M

  "I didn't know what I would want or need going into my first birth. Elaine helped me reflect and communicate during a very long labor, and made sure the environment was ideal for a very positive experience."

                 - Dana G

  "Seeing my wife in pain during birth previously was stressful for me.  Having Elaine with us this time gave me calmness and confidence, knowing that she had a lot of experience and knowledge to guide us both."

               - Jesse M

   "Going into our first birth my husband and I had no idea what to expect or how to prepare.  Elaine used her knowledge and experience to empower us, build confidence in us, and gave us tools to get through whatever we would come up against and helped us create the ideal birth experience.  She created a calm birth environment and advocated for me and my family the entire time.  She made me feel safe and loved and I would recommend her over and over again to any expecting mama.  Labor and delivery is hard, and Elaine is there to remind you that you can do hard things.  I had a wonderful first birth, and attribute a large part of that to Elaine."

          - Taylor F.

  "There are no words to accurately describe how grateful we are to have had Elaine be such an integral part of our first birth.  Even from our initial meeting, we could tell she was fully invested in making sure we had the best experience possible - and she did nothing short of that.  She was a godsend throughout our entire 40-hour labor.  The natural birth of our daughter is something we will truly never forget - also thanks to Elaine!  As if she hadn't done enough already, following our birth she even provided numerous photos, videos and an entire documentation of our experience from start to finish.  We will cherish these memories forever.  So many thanks and blessings to Elaine!"

      - Meg H.

  "After a fairly traumatic first birth, I needed to know there was someone in the room completely dedicated to advocating for me and my birth vision.  Elaine was a major factor in a perfect second birth experience!"

   - Michelle A.

"Elaine was our rock during the birth of our third child.  We had a VBAC2C planned but ended up with a third cesarean and Elaine was there for support and comfort throughout the entirety of the birth, even in the OR.  We appreciated that she remained non-judgmental, supported our decisions and advocated to get what we needed from hospital staff and the birthing experience.  She helped me stay present and helped alleviate anxiety during the epidural and c-section.  Her level of life and birth experience was invaluable and her loving presence was so warming and healing.  We will forever be grateful for Elaine.

  -Toni D.

   "Elaine was an instrumental part of our natural, unmedicated birthing goal for our second baby.  We owe it to her knowledge and guidance during my third trimester and on the day of delivery that we were able to have a very memorable and positive experience.  We didn't have the support of a doula for our first baby and so being underprepared we had kind of a traumatic birth experience ending in an emergency c-section.  For our second birth, having seen how crucial Elaine's knowledge, guidance and support was in having a positive birthing experience, it leads me to believe that doula support should be a must during childbirth.  Elaine is very informed and highly experienced; her style is light-hearted and caring.  We loved everything about the support my partner and I received from Elaine and we wouldn't change a thing!  We are beyond grateful and will forever hold her role in our hearts.

  - Najla A. 

"Elaine is a wonderful doula, and I highly recommend her services.  My first birth didn't go at all as planned; the labor was long and difficult and it ended in an emergency c-section.  My husband was stressed during my long labor because he didn't know how to help me and I had no idea what help to ask for.  So we knew that we wanted a doula this time around.  And thank goodness we found Elaine!  In our meetings before the birth, she gave us solid advice on ways we could work through labor together, and how he could help.  When we got to the hospital, she really made the labor and delivery process so much better with her constant support and words of encouragement - even when the pain was so intense that I didn't want any encouragement!  She stayed by my side, and was constantly trying to make me as comfortable as possible (whether it was wiping my sweat away, giving me a stress ball to angrily squeeze, or trying to keep my nausea at bay).  She was also very respectful of my wishes, which was very important to me.  She knew my birth plan ahead of time, and when I changed my mind because labor wasn't progressing the way I'd hoped, she totally supported my new decision.  She held my hand through a long and difficult c-section and even captured my daughter's very first moments on camera and video.  I cannot thank her enough for all that she did.  She even came to our house for a postpartum visit, which I appreciated so, so much.  My only regret is that I didn't have Elaine for my first birth, because I know she would have made that birthing experience a much more positive one!  Thank you so much, Elaine!"