I have some big news to share…

It is with a grateful heart that I am sharing with you that I am expecting our fifth child in October. I am filled with joy and wonder to get to experience the gift of pregnancy and birth again.

I am equally excited to share this journey with you all, if you care to come along with me on it…

Almost four years ago I gave birth to our fourth baby at home with the gentle guidance and care of two incredible midwives. It was that during that pregnancy and birth that I felt transformed as a woman and mother and it propelled me into Doula work. It became a deeper and higher calling for me to support other women and families on the journey of pregnancy and birth.

My last pregnancy was one of unlearning…unraveling what I had previously known about birth, pregnancy and my own autonomy. It was the undoing of old thought patterns and behaviors, the unraveling of what I thought prenatal care was supposed to look like, the awakening of my own autonomy.

These past years I have had the incredible honor of walking beside so many women and families during their own journeys and transformations. Listening, encouraging, teaching, challenging what they thought they knew, holding space and physically holding hands. Witnessing women at their most vulnerable and also seeing them at the peak of their strength is one of the greatest gifts I get to experience. It has brought me so much joy, understadning and wisdom. Each of these women I have walked with, each time I held space, every sacred birth and transformation I witnessed has been stored in a place in my memory and in my heart.

…and now I get to take all of that with me on my next personal journey through pregnancy and birth again.

This time around, I am learning so much more surrendering. If I’m honest, there was a part of me (the Type A, control freak part of me) that really thought if I had all the knowledge and tools within in me and at my fingertips, it would allow me to ease into this pregnancy with wellness and radiance. Ha! I spent plenty of days staring down the porcelain thrown, contemplating every bite I ate and getting very well re-acquainted with my pillow and long naps. I was immediately and humbly reminded of what a deep spiritual journey pregnancy can be. It began with looking like a lot of rest, asking and accepting help and trusting my body to communicate with me what it needed and just knowing i coulnd’t always control the outcomes. Thankfully an extraordinarily long Minnesota winter made me feel not so terrible about my first trimester of hibernating and healing.

As this is very likely my last pregnancy, I am savoring and surrendering. I find myself leaning not only on my own undertsanding but on the powers that are bigger then me. On my faith, on the strength of my body and the spirit of the life growing inside me. Connecting also with the great mother, grounding myself in my connectedness to nature, and all the wise women who have come before me.

My goal as a community Doula, has always been to share, educate and encourage you all throughout the different stages of your conception, pregnancy, birth and parenting journies. It feels so humbling that I get to share with you on an even more personal level now. I have so much I wish to share including pregnancy peparation, books I am reading, local resources and providers I have already been seeing and digging deeper into connecting with my body and baby during this time.

I intend to send out more current updates in the hopes it may connect with some of you during your different seasons of pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, or postpartum.

A few business updates:

Serving you all is what fuels me and I feel an even greater honor to get to share this journey directly alongside some of the clients I currently have.

I have just a couple openings left for births this summer/fall. My plan is to take October-December off from being on call to rest and soak in the postpartum period.

I am now accepting births for the 2024 year. My prenatals that time will likely be with a baby in tow. Mothering together during this time will be my motto!

I will still be accepting encapsualtions during most of this time.

I have also added a few new indivdual sessions in the instance you would like to work with me but I am off call during your birth. I am happy to provide prenatal sessions. Check out my services page for a more in-depth description here.

Price Increases-

As of May 30th, 2023 I will be increasing my fees for both Doula services as well as Placenta Encapsulation. The simple explanation for doing this is because I work amongst a community of exceptional Doulas. I respect them, look up to them and believe although our practices and presonalities are different, we are all equal. I would never wish to undercut another Doula or be chosen because my rates are cheaper. So to keep equality in the community I am choosing to base my prices on par with those around me.

Birth Doula investment will be increasing to $1,200

Placenta Encapsulation Services will be increasing to $300

**If you book now, you can secure my current rates. This includes booking due dates for 2024. Repeat clients will receive my current rate. If you are also hoping to birth in 2024, you are welcome to put a deposit down now to book my services at this rate.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of my community. Whether I have supported you in birth, encpasulated for you, taught a class for you or you jusy follow me on social media. I cherish our connections and that our journies may intertwine.

Warmly,

Amanda