Hey hey! I'm Kelsey!
I am a wife and mama of two on earth and one in heaven (baby Sunny). I am a follower of Christ and believe we are called to love others. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Trevecca Nazarene University and spent several years as a preschool teacher at an inclusive preschool. I truly loved it, but decided to stay home with my babies after becoming a mother.
I have always been intrigued by all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, but my passion for birth work didn’t really start until I got pregnant with my first. I dove headfirst into researching everything I could and I just fell in love!
My first birth did not go the way I planned – like at all! It left me feeling anxious and traumatized. I knew I needed things to be different for my second birth. I felt like I had done all the right things so there was so much confusion on how things went so wrong. The truth is, I didn’t do anything wrong! I was just a new mom and was naiive to the complicated nature of birth work. So many believe birth to be a very medical event and believe interventions are always necessary. This is SO difficult to navigate when you believe birth is a natural, normal process and that women have the ability to birth their babies on their own! I did not have the tools or the understanding to have full bodily autonomy and informed consent.
That brings me to my second birth. I researched more and more and learned having a doula can improve outcomes significantly (like shortening the length of birth, lowering cesarean section rates, and lowering the need for pain medications!). I knew that’s exactly what I needed. Hiring a doula for my second birth was the best decision I could have made! I felt supported and heard all throughout my labor and delivery. Hiring a doula did not magically give me a perfect birth, but it did give me the education and advocacy I needed.
I knew being a birth and postpartum doula was my obvious next step. I want to give women that same feeling of being heard and understood when they are at their most vulnerable. I want them to feel like they have a voice and a choice because they do!!
I am honored to be considered as your doula! Please reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like to schedule a free consultation.
For the dads:
Some husbands/partners may be hesitant about hiring a doula. Many worry they will be replaced by the doula, or that the doula will get in their way. This is not the case! A doula is for the partner AND the mom. This should be a team effort. A husband knows their wife on a far more intimate level than a doula ever could and provides crucial comfort and support. A doula will help educate the partner on the best ways they can support their wife while in labor. They will also be there to help take some of the pressure off you. Doing counter pressure for hours on end may feel great to a laboring woman, but not so much to a partner’s arms (ask my husband!). Having a doula with you means being able to take a break and know that your loved one is still being supported through her labor. My husband loved having a doula and felt she made our experience much better for him too!