Dc birth doulas - Sara Baum, Amy Ard, and Sarah Paksima

[Anonymous]

They have on rave yelp review and I think I've seen Amy's name mentioned here. Anyone use them? Thoughts? Reasons to hire them (or not) instead of someone else?

[Anonymous]

Amy was my doula for my first and I've hired them again for my second child. I can't say enough good things about Amy- she's great! I also liked the other doulas at the "Meet the Doula" event that they hold (I think monthly?), but obviously don't have much experience with them. I would recommend going to a Meet the Doulas event to see if you like them and their model.

[Anonymous]

Using them for a delivery at WHC with the midwives, and they have been great so far. No baby yet, so we shall see.

They were recommended by my midwives (as were like 90 other doulas but the midwife who gave me the list put a "star" by their names and said they were especially good).
They have monthly meet-the-doula events and advocate for "whatever birth experience you want" so they're not going to try to push any one method of birth on you.

[Anonymous]

I used Amy a few years back - she was great!

[Anonymous]

Can you post a link for them please? I would love to check them out. THanks!

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how much they charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Using them for a delivery at WHC with the midwives, and they have been great so far. No baby yet, so we shall see.

They were recommended by my midwives (as were like 90 other doulas but the midwife who gave me the list put a "star" by their names and said they were especially good).
They have monthly meet-the-doula events and advocate for "whatever birth experience you want" so they're not going to try to push any one method of birth on you.

Wait, if you're delivering with midwives why do you need a doula?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using them for a delivery at WHC with the midwives, and they have been great so far. No baby yet, so we shall see.

They were recommended by my midwives (as were like 90 other doulas but the midwife who gave me the list put a "star" by their names and said they were especially good).
They have monthly meet-the-doula events and advocate for "whatever birth experience you want" so they're not going to try to push any one method of birth on you.

Wait, if you're delivering with midwives why do you need a doula?

My only experience is with the GW midwives, but their model is much like a Dr model in the hospital. The doula will come over at the beginning of labor and stay by your side the whole time. The midwives will go in and out of the room once you get to the hospital, but won't be there all the time. I doubted the need for a midwife and a doula for my first, but really valued having my doula there and will use one for my second kid.

[Anonymous]

I birthed with a midwife and no doula for my first and really could have used one.

I birthed with Amy last spring, and she was great. This reminds me that I should leave a DONA review. Sara Baum was recommended to me initially, but she wasn't serving again yet at that point and referred me to Amy.

Amy was really attentive to finding the right partners for the collective, so I don't think you can go wrong.

[Anonymous]

www.dcbirthdoulas.com

Anonymous wrote:Can you post a link for them please? I would love to check them out. THanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Using them for a delivery at WHC with the midwives, and they have been great so far. No baby yet, so we shall see.

They were recommended by my midwives (as were like 90 other doulas but the midwife who gave me the list put a "star" by their names and said they were especially good).
They have monthly meet-the-doula events and advocate for "whatever birth experience you want" so they're not going to try to push any one method of birth on you.


Wait, if you're delivering with midwives why do you need a doula?

You never "need" a doula, but to challenge the midwife=no doula assumption, the GW midwives basically require one for FTMs. And, contrary to stereotype, the hospital-based DC midwives, at least, are not "birth whisperers," encouraging you and helping with different breathing techniques throughout labor. They have multiple patients giving birth simultaneously, and their focus is on the delivery of the baby: Did you get your antibiotics? Is the baby progressing? What's your blood pressure? Etc. The doulas are the opposite -- not only can they not give medical advice, but their role is entirely to support you.

So yeah. Do you "need" one? No. Do I personally want one? Absolutely. I can afford it, I don't have a woman to help me through the process otherwise (sister, mother, etc) and to me it's well worth the cost.

[Anonymous]

I had Sara for my first delivery and she was incredible. I'm convinced having her changed my delivery outcome (positively).

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know how much they charge?

Yeah -- they're a flat $1000 which includes a session at 33 weeks, a birth plan workshop if you need or want one, being with you from first contraction to wailing newborn (or trading after 24 hours with another doula), and I believe also a follow up visit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Does anyone know how much they charge?

Yeah -- they're a flat $1000 which includes a session at 33 weeks, a birth plan workshop if you need or want one, being with you from first contraction to wailing newborn (or trading after 24 hours with another doula), and I believe also a follow up visit.

Thanks. Had trouble finding this on their site.

[Anonymous]

I recently had the pleasure of having both Sarah Paksima and Sara Baum of DC Birth Doulas at my birth at GW. Sarah Paksima endured over 30 hours of labor with us at the hospital and provided support and energy that my husband and I needed. Put simply, she was amazing- experienced, focused, supportive, and committed. She was truly a gift to our experience. We also has the pleasure or working with Sara Baum at the actual delivery. The energy and support she provided at an otherwise tense and scary time were remarkable. She was calm, focused, and loving. Finally, I worked with Amy on our prenatal visit, and corresponded with her throughout the end of my pregnancy. She was always accessible and more than happy to answer any questions. She really made a connection with us and was a with us and was a true support to both me and my husband. In short, I cannot recommend these women highly enough. They are professional, supportive, experienced, and client-focused. I cannot imagine a better choice for expecting mothers. Now if only they would all come live with me and help me raise my child!