Members of our extended families have used doulas and we were recommended a doula for (at least) our first pregnancy. We found Beth Mathis online and were excited to meet her. Beth did not disappoint. As Christians, Beth was sensitive to our faith, and provided excellent professional care throughout pregnancy, labor, and post-birth. She has an engaging, intentional personality and we always felt well tended during each interaction.
Near the end of our pregnancy (38 weeks) our baby flipped into the breech position. Beth provided us with several proactive activities for us to practice in order to coax our baby to reorient into the correct direction. We ended up having an External Cephalic Version procedure in the hospital, which resulted in a success. We believe the activities and suggestions Beth provided were helpful in preparing us for the Version and more than likely contributed to procedural success. This enabled us to go though the natural labor process, which was our hope for the pregnancy.
During labor Beth was irreplaceable. She provided suggestions on adjusting our comfort levels for Christina as she went through the beginning parts of the difficult stages of labor. As labor maladies increased, Beth coached Christina in controlling her breathing, positioning, and other aspects of pain management. We can’t imagine the experience of doing labor for the first time without a coaching.
Overall we highly recommend Beth to anyone who is interested in having professional assistance beyond medical staff. The medical staff will help in certain ways, but will not coach through the whole pregancy and birth process in the same way having a doula will. We are grateful for Beth and the excellent care she provided. Thank you, Beth!