And my first real recommendation!

From Shandi:

"I knew before I even asked Rochelle to be my doula that she would be amazing. However, I did not know just how much I would need her and how amazing she would actually be. Rochelle agreed early in my pregnancy to be my doula, so I had her for prenatal support from about 8 weeks on. I knew I would need her because I had a very bad experience watching my sister give birth in a hospital, and I could not birth like that. She listened when I complained about the drama around my family, she answered my questions about home birth since I was so unhappy with my OB, and she even recommended me to an amazing midwife. On days towards the end of my pregnancy when I felt miserable and was just ready for it to be over, Rochelle would send me a happy note, invite me out to lunch, or randomly stop by with a red velvet cupcake (my fav!). When my labor wouldn't start after my water broke, she was there to hold me while I cried, screamed, and cursed my body for betraying me, all the while assuring me that it's fine to have these feelings and that I need to let them out. When my midwife decided it was time to transfer to the hospital to start pitocin because my labor just would not start on it's own, Rochelle rode with me to the hospital and assured me that everything would be ok. My pitocin was started at 11 am, and I delivered my daughter the next afternoon at 1:28 pm after 26 1/2 hours in labor. Rochelle stayed with me the whole night and stayed awake while letting my husband and midwife rest. She kept me from falling off the bed countless times! She did things, suggested things, and held me in ways I didn't even know would be beneficial, but I know I couldn't have made it through without that help! She held the heating pad on my lower back, held me up while I was in a deep squat, and kept dealing with my hair for me. Rochelle didn't even care that I was taking immense pleasure in telling her that when she's in labor, I'll be the one telling her to "F off" when she starts asking for pain meds! At one point, I vomited and some went in her shoes, but she never complained. My husband and I will never birth without the help of someone as amazing as Rochelle, and I hope she can be the one to assist us if we're ever blessed with another child!"


You will likely see this on other pages in my blog too! Thanks Shandi!