Doula Chandler Jax, Jacksonville, FL (2025)

03/28/2024

❤️❤️

02/21/2024

I love being a doula 🩷💓 I’m only in the beginnings of this journey but it has meant so much 💞🤰🏻🤱🏽

02/16/2024

Welcome to the world baby girl! Getting to know this family has been one of my favorite experiences so far as a doula. I’ve loved getting to know them, and seeing a part of their journey to parenthood. Though they were planning to have baby at a local birth center, plans quickly changed as they sometimes do. They handled and adapted to these changes with calm and strength. This first time mama made it look easy, and had an awesome team including her husband , friend and nurse. Who each helped majorly in their own way to support her in getting through unmedicated. This was such a sweet birth to witness.

05/17/2023

03/29/2023

Some people say giving birth is like running a marathon. This first time mama really did go through a marathon to meet her baby boy! Through changes in her plan, During her days long process, she maintained patience, calm, positivity and strength. I’m so proud of her! She was supported by her husband who was a calm presence and was by her side helping in so many ways. I’m super thankful for the doctor and nurses in that they respected preferences and trusted the process, resulting in the beautiful birth of baby boy. This birth really was something special to be a part of. 💙

12/11/2022

12/03/2022

✨ The moment you meet your baby ✨ Wrenley, your doula loves you 💖

12/02/2022

One of my best childhood friends, and the strongest woman I know, gave birth to her sweet sweet baby girl. And I got to be her doula! She had a fast labor for a first time mama, got through those hours with such calm and strength, unmedicated! She had the calm presence of her husband by her side, who encouraged her so well at the end with a (many) simple “yes you can”. And the doctor at beaches baptist was truly awesome. I can’t put into words how amazing it was to see my friend in the most powerful moment of her life, I’m so thankful I got to be there 💞

08/04/2022

This month I’ll be donating blood in honor of mothers who have needed a blood transfusion during labor, birth or postpartum. I would be so proud if anyone seeing this felt inspired to go donate this month too. In August 2017, I gave birth to Josephine. It was an amazing, positive, empowering experience at a birth center in Germany with an unforgettable midwife. However, minutes after Josie was born, I started hemorrhaging, went into shock and was transferred to a hospital in an ambulance. I lost a lot blood and required 2 blood transfusions. I am forever thankful for whoever donated that blood, and for the ER hospital staff. The work they do and what they go through every day is incredible. Birth can happen in many different ways. My birth was a great example of how things can change in a moment. It’s an example that hospitals are not needed for a normal birth to happen, but how hospitals are necessary when certain complications arise. And an example of how much we all need each other! Please consider donating

08/01/2022

07/23/2022

Belly binding lesson from and I got to practice on my sister ❤️💪🏼

06/18/2022

Shadowed at a postpartum visit and got to hold sweet baby L 💙

06/18/2022

Got to back up for my mentor ! It was an honor to be there for this family. Mama was so strong and used every bit of her strength and focus to birth the way she wanted- unmedicated! Dad was so kind, helpful and gave her such encouraging words at the end. And baby L worked hard too, and went straight to mamas chest for their golden hour. 💛 This was my first doula birth at UF Health and the nurses and doctors were wonderful!!! I’m extra thankful I got to attend this birth because I recently had to miss one of my own due to me having covid 😢

06/18/2022

Breakfast with It’s great to meet & connect with other doulas in the birth community! ❤️

06/18/2022

Almost two years after my first was born, I had my second daughter at The Nest Birth Center here in Jacksonville when it was still open. This pregnancy was hard on me, I could write a whole post about that but I’ll just say fears of hemorrhaging again, compression stockings, a SPD belt in the Florida heat and nightly walks to Whitt’s with my mom, trying to start labor 🍦 This birth was through the day☀️ and included a pre planned shot of pitocin after birth bc of my fears of hemorrhaging again, 41+ weeks, so much support from family: my husband, sisters, mom, mother in-law, aunt and my 2 year old. ❤️ I stayed home until I felt it was time to go to the birth center. Early labor started in the morning, i walked to the beach with my sister and a friend and swam in the ocean while having contractions. A sweet memory. This labor was so different than my first. Labor seemed light and very manageable. Labor progressed smoothly and only got fast and intense during the 30 min car ride there. Once we arrived at the birth center I was at 8cm, I remember us all cheering. My midwives at this birth were also wonderful, I don’t think you can ever forget a midwife!! I gave birth to my 9lb11.5oz daughter in the bath and had a healthy birth of the placenta!

06/18/2022

The first two births I ever attended…my own! I have long birth stories written for each but I will just give a short summary 😆 My first was born at a Birth Center in Germany. One of my midwives spoke only German, and the other could also speak English! She was the most amazing midwife and I will never forget her. She has the most calm, soothing voice, (the accent probably made it even sweeter). She went above and beyond her role. Later I realized that in many ways she was not only my midwife but my Doula as well. This birth was through the night and involved my water breaking without any contractions, castor oil, lots of walking around Frankfurt, 12 hours of labor, and birth in squatting position of my 9 lbs 13 oz baby! And then retained placenta which led to an emotional and emergent transfer to the hospital, where the doctors did an incredible job. I will never forget them either and wish I could thank them! Because it was an empowering, peaceful and on top of that, emotional after birth, we gave our daughter the middle name Katharina, after our Midwife. ❤️

06/18/2022

Hi I’m Chandler Merrill, a birth doula located in the beaches area and serving all of Jacksonville! I’m a stay at home mom of 2, and gained a passion for birth after becoming pregnant with my first child. That passion has continued since then. I trained in June and have been riding this doula journey ever since. I’m super excited to support families through this special time in their lives, and to gain more experience with each birth. Props to for the photo 😊