Veronika’s birth w/the support of a fantastic doula

I wanted to share some of my birth story and experience with Dayna as my doula in
hopes of helping someone make a decision who is also looking for a doula. This was my second
VBAC and third birth. I had a doula with my previous VBAC so I had a good idea of what I
wanted and what I didn’t want. It was important to have someone experienced and knowledgable, but there are a good amount of those doulas. What I found was that it was also
paramount that the person who would be there supporting me in bringing new life into the world
was a person of faith who believed in the sanctity of life, that each little precious human is
fearfully and wonderfully made, and that God created our bodies to give birth as women. As well as someone who could pray for and with me during my pregnancy and birth.

Dayna was exactly that. She was someone I could text with pregnancy questions and prayer requests. During my labor and birth anytime I was struggling or something would start to go haywire, she was there at my side praying when my mind was in primal mode. During the early parts of my labor Dayna was on the phone with me and helped me gage when it was probably a good time to head out.

This was great because I wanted to labor at home as long as possible but also wanted the
reassurance of someone who had experience - I definitely didn’t want to give birth in the car!
During active labor Dayna was great at suggesting different positions to try, reassuring me and reminding me of the things I had in my birth plan that I wanted to happen.

Birthing takes you to a primal place and it was incredibly helpful to have a person at your side who helped ground you during that time. Dayna was the perfect balance of gentle support and tough encourager, when I felt like I just couldn’t do it. She was a great advocate with the staff because she was familiar with the kind of birth that I envisioned, always respectful and supportive of my choices - even the less popular ones.

It was also really helpful and therapeutic to meet postpartum and talk about my birth, to unpack and process everything that happened with a person who was there the whole time. If you are looking for a kind, supportive, and knowledgable woman who loves Jesus to support you in your pregnancy and birth Dayna is your gal.

-Katie Kublitskiy

Rebecca Liles' Birth Story

Dayna was an absolute God-send for this delivery experience!! This was my third pregnancy but first time hiring a doula. Dayna kept in communication throughout the whole pregnancy. She shared her knowledge throughout each semester, including tips and tricks to ease any discomforts. As my due date approached and many false signs of labor showed up, we talked almost daily about expectations and flexible plans. We both thought this would be an easier birth (hello third child) but it was a wild ride that Dayna rode each high and low wave alongside us. Despite needing to be induced for BP issues, she made sure as many as my birth wishes happened. She helped advocate for minimal use of interventions, she relied on her network for help when we seemed to run out of options, and she took some beautiful photos I will cherish forever. One moment I won't forget was the midwives completed change of shift and Dayna shared how I was doing with her so I could focus on labor; I caught the midwife getting her coffee a few moments later. I knew I had the dream team when I saw that happening in the background. After birth, Dayne followed up with me multiple times to make sure we were recovering well. I will forever be thankful for the wonderful experience Dayna helped provide for this special child.

-Rebecca Liles