Doula Testimonial

The 5 W’s of Why Staci Bishop Rocks
By: Sarah - Nashville, TN

Who:
My fiancé and I were bound and determined to be ready to knock down doors to have a natural childbirth. After enrolling in Bradley classes, which armed us with knowledge about informed consent, the birthing process, and a myriad of details, we felt semi-prepared and ready to go. As the day grew closer, I started to doubt myself. Would I be strong enough? Would Shawn remember everything? I knew from the beginning that it would just be the two of us in the room. I wanted it to be intimate and I wanted every decision made to come from my heart and not an outside influence. I knew that Shawn supported my decisions, but who would be there for him when the going got tough? We decided around 36 weeks that we would need a doula. We scheduled three interviews and only had one. It was with Staci. I didn’t need to meet anyone else.

What:
Maybe it was the aromatherapy, the specialization as a hypnodoula, her crazy good organization skills, or her calm, but assertive manner, that made our instant decision? It was all of the above. The essential oils did so much for me at home. I BELIEVED in their ability to help and most of all BELIEVED in Staci using them to guide me through. I tried to get into hypnobabies during pregnancy, but couldn’t. On birth day, Staci was armed with the CD and it got me further than I ever thought it could.

When:
54 hours is a long time to be in labor. Staci was with us when I thought the contractions were bad, when they started to get bad, when they were REALLY bad, and when they stopped. Her techniques allowed me to remain calm and at home through early labor. Your sense of power is amazing when you have someone there with you, working through each contraction, telling you that YOU WILL deliver this baby and YOU ARE strong and DOING GREAT.

Where:
Staci spent early labor at home with us. She went to the Vandy with us…twice. Most of all, she was there when I felt defeated and opted for an epidural. Sometimes medication is needed. For pain. For rest. I needed both. Having the support of my partner and my doula allowed me to relax. I was able to get into the side position that Staci and my Bradley classes had taught me, and in an hour and a half I was ready to push. Charlotte came into the world with Shawn, Staci, and our (third) midwife by my side. I remember Staci and Shawn cheering as I was pushing. It still brings instant tears. This woman that I met a few short weeks ago had helped me achieve a LIFE dream. How can I every repay her?

Why:
Without Staci I would have almost definitely had an unplanned cesarean. I would have gone to the hospital early, I wouldn’t have had the courage to decline an unwanted ultrasound (to look for an amniotic leak that would have put me on the 24 hour clock), I would have just wanted it to be over so that I could go to sleep. She worked me through almost two days of contractions at home, gave me support with all decisions that we made, and kept me drinking fluids to keep my energy up. All of this AND the support she provided for Shawn. A great midwife told me once that however many people are at a birth is how many it takes to deliver a baby. For Charlotte’s arrival, I needed Shawn, but we BOTH needed Staci. My heart soars when I think of her. Needless to say, she comes with high recommendations from our family. When it comes time for another baby, I can only hope that she will be by my side once again.

nYn Supports Women & Children in Uganda

This has been on my heart for a while and I'm excited to share it with you!

Starting today, a portion of all nYn doula fees will be given to ministries in Uganda.  

I've never even been to Africa but there is a piece of my heart reserved for Uganda. Why? Well....

My best friend, who also blogs at A Southern Ruckus, adopted her daughter from Uganda in 2010. In an attempt to survive the painstaking waiting process, she soaked in as much knowledge as she could about Uganda: the landscape, the history, the culture, the language, the orphanage, logistics. Everything. In my attempt to support her as much as possible during this time, I learned right along with her. We've often joked that I was her "adoption doula." I read the same websites, saw the same pictures, read reviews on her book selections, followed the same blogs, and stalked kept up with the same people on Twitter. Some of my favorite people on the Internet right now are families that I "met" virtually during that process. Many of them have also adopted from Uganda. 

When my bestie was in Uganda for 6 weeks, I lived vicariously through her via email, chat, blog updates and video conferencing (thank goodness for technology). While I have never experienced Uganda first hand, it's 3 years later and still on my mind. Mainly because it pops into my blog newsfeed so frequently. ;) In the last few months, I have been feeling the need to continue to support women and children in Uganda. 

After much prayer and consideration, I'm excited to put real funds towards the following ministries. When you hire me as your doula, a portion of that fee will be given directly to this family and organization. Read below to learn more about each of them! 

NATHAN & JADE METZ

I "met" Jade when she was on Uganda soil waiting to bring her son home. Her personality, patience, humbleness and love for the Lord was and still is abundant. I've been inspired by her in ways she will never know. Now, her family is preparing to go back to pursue a full-time ministry opportunity.

MERCY FOR MAMAS

I also "met" Melissa while she was in Uganda waiting to adopt her daughter. She brought to my attention to conditions in which Ugandan women deliver their babies. She began distributing "Mama Kits" to help the women of Uganda have cleaner, safer births. 

Training: Herbalism for the Birth Professional

Ever since I first became pregnant many years ago, I have not been able to stop researching and learning as much as I can about pregnancy, birth, and babies. So far, I have completed my doula certification through Childbirth International and my Hypno-Doula certification through Hypnobabies.

Along the way I have also developed an interest in natural health, wellness, and treatment. I've been a fan of Vintage Remedies for a while now and I was thrilled when they released this course last year. I thought it would be a nice compliment to my doula training. I think it's important to be to be able to give my clients as many tools as I can to manage their pregnancy in the most natural way possible. However, just because something is natural doesn't mean that it's appropriate for a pregnant or nursing mother. This course should provide me with the the resources and information I need to make appropriate recommendations for my clients.

One extra perk of this course is that there is a section on keeping the doula healthy as well. Herbalism for the Birth Professional covers information on aromatherapy, herbalism, natural solutions, and immune boosters.

Vintage Remedies also has a variety of other course options available including Family Herbalist, Holistic Wellness, Foundations of Aromatherapy and more! If you are just looking for a good book to get you started, I would recommend, The Handbook of Vintage Remedies, The Herbalism Course, or The Aromatherapy Course.

I'm excited to get started!