Hello
Being a Birth Steward is the best way to describe what I do. I am a professionally trained doula (& soon to be student Midwife) well educated on the physiology of birth and the spirituality of birth. Having attended woman in this most important Ceremony of pregnancy, birth and motherhood I have witnessed the magnitude of what it means to move through this passage way protected and uplifted. Birth is serious, natural and serious, it is to be revered.
Having a Doula at your birth is an investment in your present & future
Yes, having a Doula can be an expense. Women and been attending other women births for thousands upon thousands of years, providing physical and spiritual comfort and care. We still need women to be in our birthing rooms dedicated to us today.That is where doulas come in.
Claire, Nurse
I have been an L&D nurse for 7 years now and I have gotten to work with Cheyenne by chance twice! I love when she is with our laboring moms, she is clear and direct and helpful. Our mom to be always feels like they can be honest and are taken care of.
Mary L.
This was my third natural birth, and I can not believe I didn't have a doula before. Cheyenne was an incredible resource through the whole labor. From different positions to move into, to the comforting words she said, to helping handle nurses, My whole birth was beautiful and powerful. I know I DID IT, but I am so grateful she was there.
Emily A.
This was my first birth and I was pretty fearful going in which is why I chose hire Cheyenne. I can not imagine it being as peaceful as it was without her. She helped me move into my own. My husband felt helpless and she guided him into being a great support. It was something I will always cherish.
QUESTIONS
Choosing the right doula/ Steward for your birth is so important. Someone you trust and can be vulnerable with is a must. Interviewing your prospects is important. Here are the most frequently asked questions.
First head over to my WHY page to learn more about my why and give you an idea of who I am and if we may click. If you haven't looked at Two Medicines Birth Course page it will also give you some info on ways I handle preparing for pregnancy, birth & postpartum.
Do you do any visits before birth? A requirement for me is to have us go through my Two Medicines Birth Course together to get to know and prepare for birth as a team.
Do you work well with midwives and obgyns? I have attended births now almost everywhere, home birth, birth center, most major hospitals with a labor until in Pittsburgh. AND I truly enjoy working with most all Doctors, midwives and nurses I meet.
Do you do any postpartum care/follow up? Does that cost more? Your postpartum is important to me, a postpartum visit is included in our contract. I do do postpartum care separately as well.
Can I email, text or call you with questions? Yes, absolutely.
Do you have experience with birth complications? Yes, my own personal experience with birth complications, and I have been with woman who have experienced them. I also work with mothers who have had miscarriages and stillborns as a grief Steward.
Have you attended a birth that ended in Caesarian? Yes, in my birth course we go over potential outcomes of complications and caesarians and NICU stays.
Have you attended home births? Yes, many women choose to birth in the comfort and safety of their home.
When do I first call you? Is it OK if it’s in the middle of the night? You can call when you believe labor is starting, we will talk extensively on signs to look out for and when to call.
When do you come to the birth? When your labor has started.
How long will you stay? Until 2-4 hours after you have birthed.
Will you come to my home or meet at the birth place? We will set a plan on where you will labor, if you are planning on laboring mostly at home I will come to your home for early/ active labor, or we will meet at the birth place depending on the timing and intensity of your contractions.
How do you work with husbands? Yes, I am serving you as the wife and mother, and by extension your husband, I am a resource for him also.
If you don’t make the birth, do I get a refund? A partial refund yes.
How do you approach birth? I approach birth as a completely natural and highly serious Ceremony.
How would you describe your “style”? I help you move into your suffering, not away from it not ignoring it, but melt into it and move with it to find yourself a new mother on the other side of a very mysterious Passageway.
How do you support the laboring mom? I use physical support with counter pressure on hips and thighs and back, I help move mom into the best laboring positions to guide her baby through. I use sayings we have agreed upon beforehand to keep our mind and spirit on the present. I use primal noises to help coax our body into being as soft as a mammal can be. I hold and make space Spiritually for the protection of mom and baby through this very sensitive time.
Do you have any special tactics for pain? Yes! We will go through our pain management skills in our Two Medicines class.
Do you have experience with breastfeeding instruction? Do you know what a proper latch looks like? Yes, I have breastfed my own for a total of 9 years and helped all my mothers who need help