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| - Before I met Ashley, I had no interest in hiring a doula. I didn't understand what they did and figured I would be able to handle things on my own. After meeting Ashley at a prenatal yoga class and finding out more about the benefits of using a doula for birth, I did some research and decided it was exactly what I needed!
My husband and I met with Ashley as a couple and then hired her immediately. We loved her open and confident personality and sense of humor. As my due date approached and I became more nervous, Ashley and I would text and email and she gave me the encouragement I needed and resources to use to prepare for what I HOPED would be a natural delivery.
The day I went into labor, I called Ashley and she was at my house within an hour. She was amazing to have at home as I hoped to avoid going to the hospital until we were very close to delivery itself. We did various poses, spent time laboring in the tub, and used calming music, essential oils, and pressure/massage techniques to get through each contraction. I was able to laugh between contractions as Ashley kept me distracted with encouraging words, humor and breathing techniques. She also helped my husband tremendously, giving him tips and guidance to be the best possible labor coach he could be.
At noon that day, we finally left for the hospital. It was there that things became very intense as I dilated from a 4-8 within two hours. There were many moments when I wanted to give up and get an epidural but with Ashley's support and encouragement through each contraction I was able to stay focused and achieve my goal of a natural delivery. I was so incredibly proud of myself and know that my husband and I could never have gotten through our delivery so seamlessly without her support.
Ashley is an amazing person with such a wonderful energy - she made my birth experience so incredibly positive and was the exact type of coach I needed to make it through with no interventions. My husband and I both agree that she helped us become a better team as a couple as well, giving him the support he needed to be the best husband and labor coach he could be as well.
We would use Ashley again in a heartbeat!!! She is the absolute best!
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