Birth Doula Services
Interested in having an ND and HypnoBirthing trained birth doula at your baby’s birthing?
I’m happy to announce that I’m a team member of www.yourdowntowndoula.com In addition to my services as a naturopathic doctor, doula and HypnoBirthing instructor, you’ll benefit from the wide range of services our group has to offer and the peace of mind of having a reliable back-up doula available (if needed).
I’m currently available for birth dates April, May, June, September, October, November 2023
Hospitals in the GTA are allowing 2 support people during labour and birth. This means we can offer our full range of services, including in-person and virtual support. However, HypnoBirthing classes will remain virtual.
Please be assured that all services that are offered in-person by me will follow stricts standards to prevent the spread of COVID-19. For our clients, you may asked to follow some general protective guidelines such as wearing a face mask, hand washing and completing a COVID-19 screening questionnaire before each and every in-person visit. Together we can make your birthing experience a safe and healthy one!
We understand there are still some restrictions in place that are limiting pregnancy, childbirth and post partum support, so in an effort to continue provide high quality care to our families, me and my team at Your Downtown Doula are working provide you with reassurance and constant contact throughout this very special time for your family. We intend to bridge the support gap that currently exists for pregnant families everywhere. For more information about how you can benefit from a doula during these challenging times, please contact me and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Contact eevonlingnd@gmail.com for more info!
What is a Doula?
A doula (also referred to as a labour attendant or labour coach) is considered the person who provides continuous physical and emotional support and assistance to a woman before, during and after childbirth. Having a different role than a midwife, OBGYN or RN, the doula provides important care from a non-medical aspect. A doula also helps the birthing partner and/or family by providing information, physical assistance, and emotional support. Having this continuous support during labour and birth is associated with improved maternal and fetal health and a variety of other benefits.
While the goal of an OBGYN or midwife is a safe childbirth, the goal of a doula is to ensure the mother feels safe, comfortable, confident, informed and supported before, during, and after the birth of her baby. Doulas cannot make or voice decisions for the birthing couple nor can they intervene the actions of the attending midwife, RN, obstetrician or other medically licensed professional active during labour and birth, but they can help the birthing couple ensure that they are active participants within their healthcare team every step along the way.
A mother who feels safe, comfortable, confident, informed and supported is able to relax and allow the natural process of labour and birth to happen in a healthy normal way.
Many studies have shown significant benefits of having a doula present during labour and birth:
Benefits to mother
- Shorter labours
- Lower rates of intervention use during labour and birth
- Lower rates of epidural use
- Lower C-section birth rate
- Higher levels of reported satisfaction
Benefits to baby:
- Lower rates of fetal distress
- Lower rates of low APGAR score at 5 minutes after birth
- Higher rate of breastfeeding initiation
- Lower admittance rates into the NICU
EeVon Ling is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, certified Hypnotherapist, certified HypnoBirthing Practitioner, trained Naturopathic Doula as well as a mother to 2 home-birthed daughters. She is a strong supporter of homebirths, low or no intervention births, using evidence-based practices and educated and informed births. She has attended home births, hospital births, birth-centre births, midwife and OB attended births as well as VBAC (vaginal birth after c-section), twin births, inductions and C-section births.
“Birthing your baby is a healthy, natural and normal function of your body.
I’ll be there to help you feel calm, comfortable and confident that you CAN do it!”
Get three professionals in one!
Naturopathic support: homeopathy, herbs, supplements, nutrition, acupuncture, moxibustion, massage
HypnoBirthing and Hypnotherapy support: benefit from a wide range of relaxation techniques
Labour attendant: benefit from her personal and professional experience throughout your labour and baby’s birth
Birth doula services provided by EeVon Ling ND may be covered under employee health insurance under naturopathic services.
Menu of Doula Services
Naturopathic services are HST exempt.
One 15 min “meet and greet” Complimentary
This is your chance to meet me and see if I am a good fit for you and your expectations for your birth experience.
I explain my approach and birth philosophy and my potential role in your pregnancy, birth and postpartum period
I learn a little about you, your expectations and some of your birth preferences
After the meet and greet I’ll suggest a suite of services that best suit your needs.
Options for prenatal services:
- HypnoBirthing group class (live video online) $475
The original HypnoBirthing Marie Mongan Method is a 5 week group program of complete childbirth preparation and education plus learn and practice all the tools to achieve a relaxed and confident birth. This is good for those who want more instruction hours and have strong fears around labour and birthing. Includes class materials and a 30 minute ND consult.
For more information and class schedule please visit our sister site: www.myhypnobirthing.ca
2. Confident Birth Prenatal Program (private one-one) $500
A unique program created by ND doulas based on our collective decades of experience attending births. This is a 2 session program that includes the basic prenatal education from a non-fear based approach plus an emphasis on practical exercises to help you be relaxed and confident. Available in-person (if within my cachement). Includes 2 workbooks, audio recordings and birth affirmation artwork.
Birth Doula Services $1050
There are 2 parts to this service that are required together:
Birth attendance: When you labour starts, I provide you with on-going continuous emotional, physical and information support in your home and birth location until your baby is born. I may stay up to 2 hours post birth to assist with breastfeeding.
On-call service: From 38 weeks until 2 weeks postpartum, you have unlimited contact with me for general questions and concerns. The most common questions are “Is this normal” and “Is this labour starting?”. The on-call service also ensures that I arrange my personal and professional schedule so that I am ready and on standby for when your labour starts.
Naturopathic Appointments for before and after the birth
Please refer to the general fee menu for costs
Additional naturopathic appointments may be needed if you have additional needs that are beyond what is normal in pregnancy. Pre-birth appointments may be needed to review birth plans, provide prenatal recommendations around your home sleep set up, or provide treatment plans for medical conditions or help start labour (ie. induction acupuncture)
Postpartum appointments may be needed to address specific concerns around babycare, your recovery and medical conditions that affect you wellbeing in the postpartum period.
Any additional naturopathic appointments as needed are at an additional cost.
References:
Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr GJ, Sakala C, Weston J. Continuous support for women during childbirth.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Feb 16;(2):CD003766.
Kozhimannil KB, Attanasio LB, Hardeman RR, O’Brien M. Doula Care Supports Near-Universal Breastfeeding Initiation among Diverse, Low-Income Women. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2013 Jul;58(4):378-82.
Kozhimannil KB, Hardeman RR, Attanasio LB, Blauer-Peterson C, O’Brien M. Doula care, birth outcomes, and costs among Medicaid beneficiaries. Am J Public Health. 2013 Apr;103(4):e113-21. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301201. Epub 2013 Feb 14.