What can I expect from a birth doula?
A birth doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support before, during and shortly after childbirth to help achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible. Whether you want an unmedicated birth, an epidural the moment they offer it, a scheduled c-section, or a scheduled induction, we will support you through the experience. As your birth doula, we will support you and your birth companion through your labor and help you remain calm and confident. We will establish a relationship throughout your pregnancy that allows for a connection in your birthing room. Our goal is to take the work out of it for you and your partner so you can remain in the moment. Our Empowered Birth Doulas are trained and have experience supporting birth at many different hospitals and birth centers in the Austin and Lakeway area.
To learn more about what birth doulas do, click HERE to listen to our podcast episode.
Many people are attracted to the idea of a birth doula because they desire for someone to advocate for them in the labor space. HERE is a podcast episode we produced about advocacy that may be helpful to see how we approach advocacy.
Birth Doula Packages
All packages include phone/email support throughout your pregnancy, access to the Empowered Families Facebook group, and access to our library of resources and referrals. Doula clients also receive discounts on Group HypnoBirthing Classes.
The Basics Package Includes...
Pregnancy
• Two prenatal meetings in person or virtually to prepare you for birth and postpartum.
Labor
• 24 hour on-call labor support from week 37 of your pregnancy
• Continuous support throughout your labor at home or your birthing place
Postpartum
• Up to 2 hours of support immediately following birth.
• One postpartum follow up meeting (usually in your home) approximately one week after the birth.
Empowered Basics Service
You will receive all of the services listed in the Basics Package in the previous section. The birth doula you interview and match with will be your main point of contact and primary doula for your pregnancy, labor, and birth. Ciarra Morgan, founder and owner of Empowered Beginnings, personally mentors each of the Empowered Doulas and oversees all administrative tasks behind the scenes to ensure your onboarding process is seamless.
Legacy Basics Service
A premier service provided solely by Ciarra Morgan, our founder and most experienced doula. With a legacy of supporting hundreds of families through pregnancy and birth, Ciarra brings an unmatched depth of knowledge, intuition, and personalized care. This level of expertise is ideal for those seeking a deeply attuned, seasoned guide throughout their journey. Availability is extremely limited, as Ciarra accepts only a select number of clients each year to ensure the highest level of support.
ADD-ONS
Works Upgrade
This upgrade is everything from "Basics" doula package plus...
• TENS Rental ($50 refundable deposit required)
• Access to the pre-recorded Newborn Sleep Class
• Access to the online, self-paced Natural Breastfeeding Class
TENS Unit Rental
When started in early labor, the use of a TENS unit can provide substantial relief from discomfort. We rent units to families in the greater Austin area. Your birth doula will deliver your unit to you or you will receive it by mail. There is a $50.00 refundable deposit required in addition to the $40.00 rental fee.
To learn more about how TENS can help in labor, listen to THIS podcast episode!
Prenatal Meeting
This is a 1-1.5 hour meeting for someone not using a birth doula, but desiring a consultation from one. One of our birth doulas can meet you somewhere in the Austin, Lakeway, or Bee Cave area or meet with you virtually. She can answer questions you have regarding pregnancy, labor, and birth and help you construct a birth preferences sheet to use on your birthing day.
Check out our podcast!
Through interviews with experts, personal experiences, and evidence based information, your hosts will address questions and concerns they routinely hear from their community.