Sunrise Doula - Birth Services

06/01/2022

There's so much to do before you go into labor! The list can feel long and intimidating. Here's a few of the big things to remember. One thing not listed, but you should do anyway- HIRE A DOULA!

05/24/2022

Anna was sweet and kind. She helped me in my own pregnancy and postpartum journey with both babies. With clients, I've seen her treat them with gentleness and grace. She brought so much light into the world, and I'm thankful to have met her. Rest in peace, Anna.

Anna M. Nieboer, age 33 of Kalamazoo, died at home on May 21, 2022 due to complications with cholangiocarcinoma.

05/20/2022

You don't have to have a "good enough" reason to have a doula. I work FOR you, and you'll never have to justify why.

05/19/2022

DOULA VS NURSE
I often hear "I don't need a doula, my hospital has great nurses." That's awesome that they have great nurses! Doulas and nurses have very different roles though- and we compliment each other really well! Nurses are trained clinically and medically. They do have some supportive training, but ultimately their job is to perform the tasks the doctor, midwife, or hospital policy requires them to do. This is why so many L&D nurses tell me that they're thankful when their patients have a doula- it lets them focus on their job to keep you and baby medically safe while I focus on keeping you comforted and supported.

05/19/2022

Support groups can be really great ways to find your village!

05/12/2022

I can't take the heat away, but my on call support can still make your pregnancy and birth a little easier. Send a message today to learn more!

05/08/2022

MOTHER'S DAY
My firstborn's birthday always falls around the same time as Mother's Day, and that makes it extra special for me. Her birth was long and hard. I had to be induced at 42 weeks- my amniotic fluid was low, and the placenta was going to lose viability within days. I went in on a Monday, about 45 minutes after my scheduled appointment because I was so nervous. I didn't give birth until Wednesday night. Labor was slow, and the physicians started talking about a c-section. I will never forget my sweet nurse who said "Absolutely not!" She had taken doula training shortly before my birth, and used that teaching to get my body and baby working together. Had it not been for her and the extra doula training she had, my birth plan would have been thrown completely out the window. Before this experience, I had been thinking about pursuing a doula career. This solidified that for me- I wanted to be able to love and support people in the same way I was. Thank you to my clients for letting me do that for you! And thank you to that special nurse four years ago that encouraged me to start this journey in both motherhood and doula work! Happy mother's day to all moms!!

05/03/2022

"If you are unsure about whether or not a doula is worth the investment, I get it. I originally thought it was a strange idea. I didn’t want anyone with me except for my husband and my mommy.

It wasn’t until after the labor when my husband told her he wanted her to be there for all of our other children that I realized just how important it was that she was there. So here are 3 reasons that a doula is absolutely worth it!"

Found this sweet blog post that explains a bit of what I do! If you are curious to learn more or want to set up an interview, send me a message 😊

In the past couple of years “labor doula’s” have become a popular term! When I was pregnant I had heard of them; I even had a close friend who told me she was going to school to b…

04/24/2022

MEET THE DOULA
Hi, my name is Rebekah Olson and I'm a birth doula! Some facts about me:
🤸‍♀️I am a mom of two beautiful kids, who are absolutely chaotic and constantly keep me on my toes.
🌿I love all things plants- here I am getting my garden ready for seedlings!
🐶I'm a big animal person. I'd really like to have a small hobby farm one day.
💖I used to be very scared of birth! Now I find it to be one of the most beautiful, sacred human processes.
Think we'd be a good match? Let's connect!

04/23/2022

It's my birthday! This day is made even more special for me because this was also the "due date" for my first baby (but she was actually born two and a half weeks later). To celebrate, I'm running a sale between today and Mother's Day. The first two families that book with me in this time will get $100 off their birth package (bringing it to only $600!) and a gift basket for your birth!

04/14/2022

Many people are hesitant to even think about having a doula because they don't want to replace their partner. I don't replace anyone! My role is to support! We work as a team to make the birth experience as positive as possible. As .birth.couple said, the doula knows birth and the partner knows mom! Check their page out for more educational resources and encouragement! And if you have any questions on how I cooperate and support dads, shoot me a message!

04/06/2022

For Cesarean Section Awareness Month, let's talk about the history of this procedure. We are often taught that in the 19th century, this was still an entirely experimental surgery, and that women very rarely survived. Anesthesia was not used routinely until the late 1890's, even though it was used in other surgeries in the 1840's. This was because of "Eve's Sin," which made the male physicians believe that women deserved to feel the pain of surgery when it related to their uterus. This made surgeries rushed, which resulted in injury to both the mother and baby. Another contributing factor to the high death rate was that these physicians did not wash their hands or clean the wounds afterwards. I learned all of this in high school. What I and most Americans are never taught, however, is that this gruesome history of the c-section only applies to European medicine. African medicine was nurturing and had a well established procedure that was clean, peaceful, and effective. They used sedation, antiseptic salves, and clean tools. They provided several medical check ups after the procedure to clean the wounds and check on the mother. A Scottish doctor observed this procedure in 1879, and said this practice had been well established (picture attached). He heard reports of successful c-sections coming from Egypt, Rwanda, and Uganda. I say this to not only teach you an accurate history, but to remember that ancient Indigenous cultures were invaluable. We can still learn so much from them today. I am sad to see how many of these cultures have been destroyed by colonization. I am also hopeful that we can do better- that we can recognize and celebrate all types of people from all over the world. Be kind to your neighbor today.