Cloud 9 Doula Services

Pregnant? You Deserve a Doula!

“Doula” refers to a supportive companion (other than a friend or loved one) who is professionally trained to provide labor support. She performs no clinical tasks. Doulas know that birth is a key life experience for women and their families. It is her goal to help provide the best memories and the highest satisfaction with the birth as possible.

Physical, emotional, and informational support to women and their partners before during, and after labor and birth

Advice and assistance with comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, massage, and positioning

Assistance to women in gathering information about the course of their labor and their options

Continuous emotional reassurance and comfort for the birthing woman and her partner

Non-medical skills such as massage, positioning, and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures

Assistance to partners who want to play an active support role

Help so the woman has a safe and satisfying childbirth as the woman defines it

Non-judgmental assistance for your birth choices

Initial breastfeeding support if desired

On average doula attended births provide:

Reduction in the cesarean rates

Shorter labors

Reduction in epidural requests

Reduction in oxytocin use

Reduction in analgesia use

Reduction in vacuum and forceps deliveries

Improvement of the mother/infant bond

Improved satisfaction with partner after birth

Higher breastfeeding success rate

My name is Georganne. I was the Alaska State Representative for DONA International, from 2005-2010, a position I was very honored to have. I have been a member in good standing of DONA International (Doulas of North America) since the spring of 2000. I got to Alaska on Christmas Eve of 2003. I love living here in Alaska. I work for The Adult Learning Programs of Alaska as the Chief GED Examiner as well as having taught their Computer classes. I also facilitate the Orientation of students into our program. It is also a “job” that I find meaningful. It is important to me to be able to do work that I can feel proud of. I am a Certified Breastfeeding Educator. I own the email list, AlaskanDoulas@yahoo.com and am the Moderator for DoulaNet@yahoo.com. I occasionally get to work as a musher and tour guide for Muzzy’s Place Kennels but really, that is more fun then work! Most recently I have become a staff member on AllDoulas, a support forum for doulas around the world.

I have experience in medicated and non-medicated births, hospital, birth center, and home births, cesarean and VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) births as well as water births.

I took my original doula training in Kennewick, Washington in 2000 and took Advanced Doula Training by Penny Simkin herself in Oklahoma City in 2001. I was a member and Secretary for Doula Association of Central Oklahoma (DACO). I also took another doula training here in Fairbanks, August 2005 taught by Peggy Halsey from Mat-Su Midwifery. I was honored to help create and teach a portion of Bassett’s hospital based labor support program, Bassett Empowerment Support Team (BEST).

I have a BA in Secondary English Education and graduated from the University of Southern Colorado in 1998. I have two children, one of which was born by planned homebirth.

My favorite non doula hobbies are backpacking, camping, geocaching, and of course, dog mushing.

I cover Fairbanks and the surrounding area. How far out depends on the season at the time of your due date and how comfortable you would be having your specific distance for me to travel. I have driven up to 3 hours for doula clients.

I provide a free initial consultation, a minimum of 2 prenatal meetings, labor doula care, breastfeeding assistance, and 1 postpartum meeting. You will have continuous contact with me from time of contract signing. My on call status starts from week 38 or sooner if it looks like birth will be earlier or if you are having problems with your pregnancy. More meetings are available if you need them. These will be invoiced separately. I have a guaranteed backup doula. I will also assist you in billing your insurance, Tri-Care, Denali Kid Care, or Cafeteria Plan if you are interested.

Optional Services Include:

Belly Casting
Henna Body Art
Private Childbirth Education and Breastfeeding Classes if needed such as when you are on strict bed rest
Video and Book Lending Library (free to clients)
Pregnancy, birth, and new family photography (birth photography free to clients)
Baby Wearing Instruction
Extensive Referral Network
Feel free to contact me for a free initial consultation, a chat on the phone or email contact.

I work on a sliding fee scale. While I do have expenses that I need to cover and a basic set fee, I would not want anyone to go without my services because of a fee they felt they could not afford. I am open to payment plans, bartering, and reduced fees. I also have a lot of ideas for fundraising. I hold dearly DONA’s mission of “A doula for every woman who wants one.”

I am also a volunteer for CAPPA’s Operation Special Delivery.

Operation Special Delivery (or OSD) provides volunteer doulas for pregnant women whose husbands or partners are deployed at the time that they are due to give birth.

 I have been a member of DONA International since May 2000.  I am proud of DONA (Doulas of North American International) for going “International”. Click on their logo to check out our wonderful, newly updated site and learn more about doulas.

DONA International: We are the world’s premier doula organization.

Pardon us for bragging, but we are the oldest, largest and most respected doula association in the world. Our founders are among the foremost experts on doula care, and DONA International certification is a widely respected measure of quality and professionalism. We are an international, non-profit organization of doulas that strives to have every doula trained/educated to provide the highest quality/standards for birth and/or postpartum support to birthing women and their families. To that end, we promote continuing education for doulas and provide a strong communication link among doulas and between doulas, families and the medical birthing community. DONA International is an amazing community with a shared passion for families that reaches around the world. DONA International doulas and the families they serve are in more than 20 countries.

I became a Certified Breastfeeding Educator in 2002 through The Breastfeeding Educator Program™ taught by Debi Bocar, RN, MS(N), PhD, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Before that I was a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for WIC.

I am also certified in CPR/First Aid.

I always encourage partners to be involved in our prenatal meetings and of course, at the birth. I really enjoy working with the women’s partner and getting to know them both. When hired, I consider them BOTH my clients.

“The woman’s partner (the baby’s father or another loved one) plays an essential role in providing support for the woman. A doula cannot make some of the unique contributions that the partner makes, such as intimate knowledge of the woman and love for her and her child. The doula is there in addition to, not instead of, the partner. Ideally, the doula and the partner make the perfect support team for the woman, complementing each other’s strengths.”
DONA Position Paper

During pregnancy and birth, a lot of the focus is put on the mom. I do not forget that this is a special time for dads too. A birth is the creation or extension of a family and dads go through many of the same emotions and have many of the same concerns moms do. As a doula, a mother, and a wife, I realize this. One of my favorite quotes is from the book, Mothering the Mother. “In no other area of the hospital is a family member asked to take on such a significant care taking role as in childbirth.”

Whether a dad wants to be the primary support coach, sit back and observe, or do something in between, I will support him in whichever level he is comfortable. I can also help other family members or friends who are attending the birth to be more of a helpful, participating member of the birth team.

For women who do not have partners during labor, I can be especially helpful. I am have been honored to support several women through their births while their husbands have been deployed.

You can access DONA’s Dad’s and Birth Doulas page here.

Henna Body Art and Belly Casting

I started to explore henna as a winter project. I found that the more time I spent doing and researching henna, the better the winter went. There are so many different aspects of henna that the study of it keeps me entertained. Also I always feel better when I am able to regularly utilize my creativity. And since I am done having babies, this is a wonderful opportunity for me to “create”. Check out my my other henna work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cloud9doula/collections/72157621211772306/

cloud9doula@gmail.com

(907)799-4529