We had a particularly long labor (3 days) and could not have gotten through it without Beth! We interviewed a few doulas early in the pregnancy and realized after meeting Beth that we wanted someone direct, mature, and take-charge. She was confident from the get-go and answered all of our birthing questions clearly. As soon as I went into labor, Beth made herself available 24-7 (she fully expects to be called at 2 in the morning) and texted me regularly with tips and check-ins, and even stopped by.
During our very long labor with a baby that kept turning around, Beth took such amazing care of us. She had a magical ability to be a fly on the wall while anticipating our needs and revealing the perfect tools from her “bag of tricks” (like a massaging tool, a neck pillow to coax my husband into a nap after three days of not sleeping, and essential oils). We made it through three different shifts of midwives and nurses and she made friends with all of them (I even overheard them asking her for tips).
Most importantly, when my particularly difficult labor was at it’s hardest, warm little Beth turned into tough Beth and she physically and mentally supported me in a way that will make me forever adore and appreciate her. She breathed with me and locked eyes to help me focus for my hardest contractions and between contractions helped me regroup and remember that my baby was coming soon. If I was squishing her hand with my grip, she never showed it. When the labor needed to change course, the three of us would take the Midwives suggestion and discuss the options together. I think we ended up making all the right decisions and they would have been scary, veering so off course from my birth plan, without someone who knew our wishes and had tons of experience, to support us. Beth was meant to be a doula, and you absolutely won’t regret having her by your side to make any type of labor something magical.