Believe Doulas LLC

12/09/2025

11/24/2025

When I am asked and explain what a Birth Doula is, many times the response is:

“Oh you are so lucky! You get to hold all those babies, don’t you just love that?”

My response goes something like this:

I don’t hold babies.
I hold mothers and birthing people.
I hold fathers and partners.
I hold families.
And I help families hold their babies.

New families need support in “holding” their babies. They get to pick and choose who holds their babies. They get to specify when, how, and for how long. There is research out there that states that it’s so much better for a baby’s health to limit exposure to anyone other than their parents until they have a chance to develop a bit. And it also promotes bonding with the parent/parents.

So families or friends of new parents instead of asking “oh can I hold the baby?” Maybe think about asking “what can I do to help?” For instance, walk the dog, drop a pre-cooked meal, run to the store for supplies, do a load of laundry, or maybe sit for a short while and listen.

Will I hold your baby? Yes. If you need me too. I will never ask. I don’t want to hold your baby, I want to help YOU hold your baby.

This is a very rare picture of me holding a client’s baby. They needed me to in that moment and of course baby was super cute. But I truly enjoyed giving him back and watching the pure joy on the faces of the parents.

11/24/2025

Future Openings Available!

Our calendar is currently booking for due dates in 2026 and beyond.

Even if your journey is sooner, we are here to support you. Please explore our site www.Believedoulas.com for resources, and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you have about birth, postpartum, or finding the right doula for your family.

Supporting Your Birth Journey As a doula, I believe that every birth is a unique and sacred journey. My passion is to provide compassionate, personalized support to families in the Finger Lakes Region, empowering you to embrace your birth experience with confidence and joy. Let’s connect and creat...

10/10/2025

I almost missed it!

Happy Midwifery Week to all you midwives out there. So grateful for the compassion and care you bring to birthing people. And so grateful to be a Doula along side you! 💜💜

09/26/2025

Ask questions, make YOUR informed decisions, and give YOUR informed consent when YOU feel it’s right for YOU.

We can help you find your voice.
Visit us at:

www.Believedoulas.com

Researchers admit that, "it is not clear whether it is better for women with big babies to have their labour induced or to wait for labour to begin naturally."

And we know ultrasound weight guesses are often wrong. Studies show a 15% margin of error either way.

But what else can we learn from the research?

And, given these facts, why ARE many women told they need induction for a 'suspected big baby'?

I researched and wrote about these issues in my most recent book, “In Your Own Time: how western medicine controls the start of labour and why this needs to stop.”

I also discuss the research relating to older and larger women, to longer pregnancies, and to the now-amended suggestion by the NICE guideline writers that Black, Brown, Asian and mixed-race women should be offered early induction of labour.

Nowadays, most women will be offered induction, or find that it is raised as a topic of conversation, and many come under pressure to accept this.

Whether you want to agree to induction or not is up to you.

But if you’d like information to help you decide, I have two books and a website full of resources that can help.

You can find out about big babies (and lots more) in “In Your Own Time”, see https://www.sarawickham.com/time

For more on induction generally, see https://www.sarawickham/iol for resources.

09/24/2025

Because I am re-watching all the seasons of Call the Midwife…

“Because I believe midwifery matters. And caring for women matters”.

If I was 20 years younger. But in the meantime I am a Birth Doula and a Childbirth Educator - passionate and determined one birth at a time.

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

09/16/2025

07/29/2025

A welcoming, non-clinical space for new parents to talk honestly about the emotional side of life after birth. Come as you are!

07/17/2025

Come join us for a fun and informative class. Bring your partner and all your questions!

Register at www.Believedoulas.com

Are you expecting this year? is offering a one day birth masterclass in September at Birth & Bloom! Get all the important information about birth, postpartum and breastfeeding in a condensed all-in-one course. Visit our website to learn more & always feel free to DM with questions! 💜

07/10/2025

Have you ever wondered where the word doula comes from?💡

Its roots trace back to ancient Greece, where it originally meant “a woman who serves.

Though the word has ancient origins, it was historically not applied to what we now recognize as the doula role! In the 1970s, medical anthropologist Dana Raphael popularized the term to describe someone who supports mothers through breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. Since then, the definition has expanded to include birth doulas, postpartum doulas, full-spectrum doulas, and even end-of-life doulas, each offering non-medical, emotional, physical, and informational support during some of life’s most transformative moments.💪🏽

It’s important to acknowledge that this term was historically associated with servitude and, at times, slavery. In modern Greek, the word still literally translates to “slave.” While the term today has been redefined to reflect care, support, and strength, it’s worth acknowledging the complexity of its roots and it reminds us to be thoughtful about the words we use and their histories.

Additionally, the doula’s role today is deeply modern: centering the person, holding space, advocating for dignity, walking alongside families with compassion and purpose, and practiced as a profession rather than a social expectation.🙏🏽

We also recognize that not all doulas are women! We have many wonderful men who work as doulas.

Know someone who could learn from this? Share it with a friend and help spread the word about what doulas really do. You can also read more about it here from our Greek DONA trainer Maria Andreoulaki: https://bit.ly/4kuPrkR