Birth Doula, Childbirth Educator

Birth is powerful und amazing - a day you will remember as a door to a new life. You deserve to feel safe, supported and special as you do the hard but rewarding work of bringing new life into this world.

From my experience at many different births (my own three births in a hospital, in a birthing center and at home; the births I have been invited to as a private doula as well as my year as an on-staff hospital doula) – to have a good and empowering birth experience it is most important for women that they are treated with respect and are supported so they can become the main actor in their birth by exploring what works and makes it easier for them and by making informed, good choices along the way. As a doula my focus is on supporting you and your partner (if you have one) physically, emotionally and also with information so you can achieve your best possible birth experience.

I will support you regardless of whether you are planning for an unmedicated birth, an epidural or a cesarean.

This support means
*listening to your dreams, hopes, wishes and fears concerning this birth
*helping you to identify your options not telling you which options to choose
*discussing possible steps with you not taking them for you
*helping you discover your own strength not rescuing you and leaving you vulnerable
*helping you to find out how you can help yourself not taking away your responsibility
*helping you to learn to choose and not to make it unnecessary for you to make difficult choices
*creating a safe space for you to discover what works for you and your partner
*allowing your partner to be as involved as he/she can and chooses to be
*sharing the responsibility to support you emotionally and physically during this
*intense process by being a calm presence, a guide or an example.

In more concrete terms this means this support starts as early as you desire during pregnancy (usually it includes one to two prenatal visits so we can become a team that knows each other). I will assist you in obtaining information or asking questions necessary to make important decisions. I am available for phone consultation and email contact at any time around the birth. If you like help with birth plan creation, I am happy to assist you. During labor and birth I will remain by your side, providing continuous support until your baby is born. This can take place at home, if you either like to stay home as long as possible or have a midwife attend your planned home birth; it can be in a birthing center or in the hospital. I will help you find and try different progress promoting positions, using shower, tub, or birthing ball, using massage, breathing, and relaxation techniques and/or aromatherapy. I will encourage your other chosen birth partners in their efforts or suggest or demonstrate different techniques or positions or giving them a break so they can take care of themselves as well as you. I will remind you of your original plan and help you ask questions so you are clear about your options as your birth unfolds and can make good decisions when necessary.

After birth I usually stay for about 1-2 more hours or until the baby has been fed. I offer 1-2 postpartum visits to your home with basic breastfeeding support. I am happy to take pictures. From the notes I take during birth, I can write a birth story for you and your baby, which I will bring- together with a dinner- to the first postpartum home visit.
Birth is a life changing and amazing event and you deserve to be well informed, involved, respected and supported in YOUR journey!

A little about me

My name is Ulrike (ULI) and I was born and raised in Germany. Before we (my husband of 15 years and our first two children) moved to the US in 1997, I had been a nurse and finished my college education to become a teacher. After settling our little family in America I first worked at a language school and took several massage classes. After the birth of our third child Annika in December of 2002, I started searching for a good way to combine my education, my desire to be of use and help to others, my experiences with my own births and the often busy life with three children. Becoming a Lamaze certified childbirth educator in 2005 was my first step in putting together my fascination for our amazing bodies and my love for teaching. After several couples from my classes had asked me to attend their births, I fell in love with this special, rewarding and intimate work and became a certified birth doula through DONA (Doulas of North America) in 2007. For a year I worked as an on-staff Doula at ELMC , which gave me the opportunity to be a part of many different births, to learn to be truly in the moment and to connect with perfect strangers. I enjoy the combination of teaching and doula-ing; it creates a very special bond and constantly teaches and reminds me how precious life is and how strong we are.