“Heather was there for the birth of my fourth child, (a VBAC).  Her presence was powerful in that she knew how to step in when needed, offering her clear and unwavering presence physically and emotionally. She also knew when to stand back and witness the process in an unobtrusive way.  At a point when the contractions were so intense, Heather sat herself behind me and gave me such a powerful full bodied support.  It was really a singular moment in my life when I actually knew ‘someone had my back’.  I felt confident, safe and I knew then that I was not alone.”  -Neisha Remailly-Silva

Women Know How to Birth

I have steadfast confidence in the fact that a woman and her baby intuitively know their best way to birth. My enthusiasm about this topic landed me on the doorstep of doula work. As a young girl, I remember stories about my great grandmother, who gave birth alone on her farm in Ohio before her husband could make it back from the fields. Growing up, these stories told me that women intuitively know how to birth, without being educated, and I never had reason to question, otherwise. As a doula today, I feel joy in conveying this same message to you, without a doubt in my mind: Your body already knows the best way to birth your baby. Your job is to remain present and trusting of your body’s unique process.

My Approach

My approach as a doula is grounded in my experience as a somatic psychotherapist, artist and dancer, and my own journey as a mother. Through conversation, information sharing, movement, art exploration and counsel, I support you, pregnant mama, to cultivate self-awareness, self-acceptance, and confidence in your process. I also offer practical tools for remaining present and empowered through pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum.

My Offerings

• One complimentary interview with mama and her partner

• 4 prenatal visits, each 1-hour in length.  Prenatal visits address the logistics surrounding birth such as coping strategies, self-advocacy, self-care, and staying connected to support systems (friends, family, caregivers). Our visits together also include body-centered birth preparation time, (movement and art-making), to cultivate self-awareness and trust in the body

• Birth plan guidance

• One postpartum visit to share notes from the birth and to offer support in postpartum adjustment

• Email and phone support throughout pregnancy

My Request as Your Doula

As a doula, I see the incredible results when expectant mamas (and parents) invest in creating a strong support system for themselves to see them through the birth process and beyond. Create a healthy circle of support for yourself…

• Connect with one other pregnant family or, better yet, a group of parents-to-be
• Choose a mindfulness practice that facilitates slowing down and becoming aware through pregnancy, labor and into parenthood (Examples are meditation, walking, guided imagery, journaling, yoga)
• First time mama (and partner) attend a birth education class
• Keep me in the loop by emailing or calling after visits with care-providers so I know how to best support

Body-Centered Birth Preparation

As a CAPPA-trained labor doula and somatic psychotherapist, I’m a big advocate for body-centered birth preparation. Trusting that a woman and her baby intuitively know their best way to birth, I invite clients to step into their innate wisdom through movement and gentle body-centered invitations that cultivate self-awareness, self-acceptance, and confidence. The process of becoming aware and trusting the body can sometimes be difficult. At these times, I assist clients in gaining a holistic sense of their situation and how they may want to change (emotionally, physically, cognitively, energetically, spiritually) in order to reach their birth goals. The use of art, movement, drama, poetry, journaling, visualization, meditation and music can help clients move through feeling stuck and into a more expansive sense of self.

I offer a complimentary consultation so that we may meet in person and see if working together is the right match for your needs. You may contact me at 303-562-6245 or email me at heather@dancingartproject.com.