What Is a Doula?
Why Hire a Doula
Birth is by its nature a life-changing event. Whether you are giving birth in a hospital, birth center, or at home, you will have skilled medical professionals such as nurses, midwives, and doctors who are focused on making sure you have a safe birth. But many parents in labor find that no matter how much they have prepared or how many medical practitioners are present, it is reassuring to have a knowledgeable person at the birth who is accountable only to them.
As doulas, we are professionals trained in providing emotional, physical, and informational support during labor. We are not responsible for the medical outcomes, but rather for supporting the birthing person & their support people. For clients birthing naturally, we work with the partner and other support people to provide massage, heat/cold, aromatherapy, and positions that can help ease the pain of contractions and facilitate the progression of labor. When the parents want to use medical interventions or when things don’t go exactly as planned (which they usually don’t!), we are there to help you understand and consider your choices in real time.
Having a doula has been shown in numerous studies to improve medical outcomes in birth, including:
- 50% reduction in need for Cesarean delivery
- 25% shorter labor
- 60% fewer requests for epidural anesthesia
- Nearly double the rate of successful breastfeeding
Why People Choose Seattle Doula Partners
We honor each client’s unique journey and preferences. Each person has different hopes for their birth. Some want to experience a natural birth. Others hire us because they plan to get an epidural or other medication and want a knowledgeable support person with them at all times during the labor. For us, a successful birth is one in which the birthing person and their support people feel supported and empowered to make the choices that are right for them throughout the process.
We partner with partners. We see our role as supporting both the birthing person, partner, and other support people. In our prenatal sessions, we explore the extent and ways in which the husband or partner wishes to be involved in the labor process. In the birth room, we work side-by-side with partners to support the birthing person together. Partners and grandparents give us reviews that are as glowing as the ones from their loved one who is giving birth.
We are experienced. We have been to a lot of births and seen many, many babies delivered. We know from both training and experience what techniques tend to work to ease a particular kind of pain or to ease a particular anxiety. We work regularly with: first-time parents, parents who already have other children, clients who have conceived through in vitro fertilization, Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) clients, same-sex couples, and single parents.
Doula Package
Our doula package is coupled with concierge service before and after birth and includes:
- Complimentary initial conversation via email, phone, or in person to discuss our services and determine whether we are the right fit for you
- 1-2 comprehensive prenatal meeting(s) to discuss in depth your pregnancy history, birth preferences, and other information that will help prepare you for the birth and help us to provide the best support to you
- Unlimited 24/7 phone and email consultation during your pregnancy from the time you hire us
- Attendance at your labor and delivery, including emotional, physical, and informational support and attendance in your home if desired
- Postpartum visit to help with breastfeeding, birth recovery, sleep issues, feeding, other questions
- Breastfeeding counseling session conducted by Autumn, a Certified Lactation Counselor, for those who need added breastfeeding support
- Unlimited 24/7 phone and email consultation after birth until your baby is 3 months old
Cost: The cost for our package is $2000. In addition, we offer a sliding scale payment system based on income. For families who make under $150,000, we offer a reduced rate of $1600. If you have Washington Apple Health Medicaid insurance and are delivering at a Swedish Hospital location, we provide our services free of charge, availability permitting.
Many Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) will cover all or part of doula services. We can provide you with an itemized receipt you can submit directly to your insurance carrier for reimbursement.
Service Area
We serve clients delivering at hospitals and birth centers in Seattle and on the Eastside including:
Hospitals
Swedish Medical Center – First Hill
747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 386-6000
Swedish Medical Center – Issaquah
751 NE Blakely Dr, Issaquah, WA 98029
(425) 313-4000
UW Medical Center
1959 NE Pacific St, Seattle, WA 98195
(206) 598-3300
UW Medical Center Northwest
1550 N 115th St, Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 668-1882
Overlake Hospital
1035 116th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 688-5000
Evergreen Medical Center
12040 NE 128th St, Kirkland, WA 98034
(425) 899-1000
Valley Medical Center
400 S 43rd St, Renton, WA 98055
(425) 228-3450
Birth Centers
Center for Birth
1500 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 407-3397
Eastside Birth Center
14700 NE 8th St #115, Bellevue, WA 98007
(425) 746-5566
Puget Sound Birth Center
13128 Totem Lake Blvd NE Ste 101, Kirkland, WA 98034
(425) 823-1919
Rainier Valley Birth & Health Center – Renton
4300 Talbot Rd S Ste 402, Renton, WA 98055
(425) 207-8769
Rainier Valley Birth & Health Center – Seattle
4704 S Mead St, Seattle, WA 98118
(206) 712-7352
Home Births
We serve clients delivering at home in Seattle or on the Eastside with a Licensed Midwife or Certified Nurse Midwife.
