Package Details


Doula Services

A steady hand, from your first questions to your first weeks.

Having a doula means having an experienced presence in your corner through all of it. As your doula, Melissa offers continuous physical, emotional, and informational support, so you move through birth feeling informed, cared for, and sure of your own choices.

Start with a free meet and greet

Melissa with a client

20+ years
supporting families at birth
DONA-certified
birth doula and approved trainer
Past President
DONA International

What a Birth Doula Does

✓Recognizes birth as a key experience remembered for a lifetime
✓Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a person in labor
✓Helps you prepare for and carry out your plans for birth
✓Stays present with you throughout the labor
✓Offers comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, and helps you find the information to make informed decisions
✓Supports communication between you, your partner, and your care providers
✓Nurtures and protects the memory of the birth experience
✓Welcomes your partner to take part at their own comfort level
✓Offers early feeding support and a calm presence in the first hours

The research is hard to argue with

~40%

lower odds of a cesarean birth with doula support

Shorter

labors, with less pain medication and fewer interventions

None

harms identified, only benefits for parent and baby

During Labor and Birth

  • Shorter labors with fewer complications
  • More positive feelings about the birth experience
  • Less need for pitocin, forceps or vacuum extraction, and cesarean birth
  • Fewer requests for pain medication and epidurals

For Parents and Families

  • Feel more secure and cared for
  • Adapt more easily to new family dynamics
  • Greater success with breastfeeding
  • Greater self-confidence and less postpartum depression

From the 2017 Cochrane review of nearly sixteen thousand births. More through DONA International.

The Journey Together

From the first hello to a bond that often lasts for years.

1
Meet & Greet
Free, about an hour, over coffee
2
Prenatal Visits
In your home, 34 to 38 weeks
3
On Call
Available to you from 38 weeks
4
Labor & Birth
Continuous support, no time limits
5
Postpartum Visit
Three to six weeks after
6
A Lasting Bond
Often for years to come

Your Doula Package Includes

✓A complimentary meet and greet, with no obligation
✓One to two prenatal meetings, flexible to your needs
✓Phone, text, and email support before the birth
✓On-call availability beginning at 38 weeks
✓Full labor and birth support from Melissa or a mutually agreed back-up doula
✓Phone, text, and email support after the birth
✓A postpartum visit three to six weeks after your baby arrives
✓A resource list and recommendations tailored to your birth

Questions Families Often Ask

Where do you attend births?

Melissa supports families across the Tallahassee area, in hospitals, birth centers, and at home. If you are planning to birth somewhere specific, mention it at the meet and greet and we will make sure it is a good fit.

What if I have an epidural or a cesarean?

A doula is valuable for every kind of birth. Whether your birth is unmedicated, medicated, or surgical, Melissa is right there with comfort, information, and steady support for you and your partner.

Does a doula take the place of my partner?

Not at all. A doula supports both of you. Melissa helps your partner know how to help, steps in so they can rest or eat, and makes sure you both feel held through the experience.

What is a back-up doula?

Births rarely keep a schedule. In the uncommon event Melissa cannot be with you, a trusted and mutually agreed back-up doula steps in, so you are never left without support.

When should we book?

Many families reach out in the second trimester, though it is never too early or too late to ask. Because only a limited number of births can be taken each month, booking early helps hold your spot.

Cost of Services

$1,500–2,100

Doula fees reflect training, years of experience, and leadership in the field. Melissa’s range carries more than twenty years of practice, mentorship, and deep commitment to birth work into every client relationship. Reach out any time to talk through package details, pricing, and availability.

Contact Melissa