I am a professionally trained and experienced non-medical labor support person. I understand the importance of birth and how it effects the mother-baby relationship. I'll work with a pregnant mom to help her prepare for labor and birth to ensure it is a more positive experience. In the prenatal period, I will provide informational and emotional support. This creates a unique relationship that becomes important as the birth is approaching. I will also listen to a mom and her partner's wishes for the birth and do my best to help make those wishes a reality for the family.  During labor I provide reassurance and encouragement, give the mom time and space, help her to utilize various positional changes, suggest physical comfort measures, know how to handle longer labors, and can even help prevent them so that labor progresses more smoothly and is more manageable. I also communicate with the birth partner and give him or her suggestions on how to support during the labor process. After the birth, I will stay with a mom for a short period while she begins to bond with her baby, initiates breastfeeding, and starts mentally processing her overall birth experience. Birth is not just a physical event.  It is an emotional one. All women deserve to have a trained doula by their side who is caring, sensitive, and understanding of the labor and birth process.