Need Doula recommendation for VBAC with Avalon Midwives

[2bpeaceful]

Hello mamas-

I am going to have my VBAC...I know I can, I know I can..

I am planning on birthing at Morristown Hospital with the Avalon Midwives, and am looking for recommendations for a proactive and creative doula, one who will not be redundant with the midwife, one who has experience with VBACS, one who will not become passive during the birth (my experience last time), one who is creative with moving mamas into positions beyond just kneeling, one who can help me heal some of this birth trauma from my first birth. Oh...and one who is supportive of Hypnobabies would be a bonus.

Please, NJ mamas and doulas out there, please respond. I need your input!

[huggingmama]

I don't have a doula rec for you, but wanted to encourage you--I got the natural VBAC I wanted last week at MMH with Avalon... And I think there were a couple other VBACs with them last week, too! I didn't have a doula after a lot of thinking--I had a doula with my C/S. This time it was just me and DH, who sort of acted like one. Of course, that was just my situation. Good luck finding a great doula and you can have a VBAC!

[2bpeaceful]

huggingmama, yay!

Wow, congratulations huggingmama, on your VBAC!!
I would love to hear your experience with Avalon and MMH and VBAC'ing, and things you wish you had known before, etc....anything you think might be helpful. I am also wondering if a doula is redundant with Avalon, but I want to do everything in my power to have this VBAC. Confident in my body, not confident in the hospital experience.

SO encouraging!

[holz]

I absolutely loved Lisa... http://www.doulas.com/lisav

I can't say enough good things about her, and neither can my husband or my mom.

[MeghanG]

I used Kim Collins with an Avalon birth and she was great. Personally, I thought my midwife was very hands off during labor and I would not have been able to do it without my doula (though I do wonder if the midwife was hands off because of the doula...hard to tell.)

I definitely do not think they are redundant. I can't picture any of the Avalon midwives getting on the floor with you and squeezing your hips to relieve pressure, etc...

[2bpeaceful]

MeghanG, I like what you posted about Kim getting on the floor with you and squeezing your hips to relieve pressure. That is what I am looking for, someone who knows a little more than just the standard lower back push, someone who could work with the midwife to move a posterier baby, etc...

I have heard good things about Kim Collins. Looking forward to some more info and recommendations!
thank you.

[MeghanG]

Honestly, I spent most of my active labor sitting in the shower but we did private Bradley Classes with Kim and during the classes we did different exercises on the floor. So, while I didn't see her in action during labor, I know all that stuff is part of her repetoire, per se.
I had a very fast and easy labor (in retrospect!) and most of her support was verbal encouragment and keeping my head in a good place, but SOOOOOO good and exactly what I needed. The only time I started to cave for drugs was when she left me for 5 mins to get coffee.

[momof4peppers]

I don't know Kim as a doula, but as a person, and she's WONDERFUL. Good luck with your VBAC! I'm so encouraged to hear that NJ hospitals are even entertaining the thought of them - three years ago we were in such a different place.

[Ileifa]

I don't know Kim as a doula either but I know her pretty good as a person and she is wonderful. I will also recommend Kelli DeFlora. She is a good friend and was also the doula for my last birth. She is a prenatal and postpartum yoga Goddess, A reiki master and a Shiatsu massage therapist. I adore her! She also run a new mom's group:
http://motherbirthyoga.com/

Best of luck with your VBAC!

[bonichka]

You've probably made your choice already, but I had to offer my ringing endorsement of Kim Collins, especially for a VBAC.  She was my doula through a lot of challenges, culminating in an amazing VBAC of my 11lb 15 oz baby girl (no GDM) at 41 weeks & 4 days.  It literally would not have happened without her, and I am not overstating that!  She is my hero (my husband's too), and she was definitely hands on.  Best of luck to you!!