Welcome to River Bend Birth Services where families are informed, supported, and respected! I am a certified hospital and home birthworker and childbirth educator. I am so grateful to have found my calling as a birthworker. I am deeply passionate about helping individuals and families improve their birth outcomes and achieve the birth of their dreams - even within the confines of the medical indus
trial complex! A note on my use of "birthworker" rather than "doula:" the Greek origin of the word doula is "servant" or "slave." I believe that we can all serve expectant individuals and families without causing harm to those who would find the terminology offensive. Whether you are planning a home or hospital birth, a natural or medicated birth, or some combination of the above, research has shown that hiring a birthworker to support you before, during, and after your child's birth can greatly improve your chances of experiencing the following outcomes:
-A 34% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with their birth experience
-A 31% decrease in the use of Pitocin (a synthetic form of Oxytocin used to induce labor)
-A 28% decrease in the risk of C-section
-A 14% decrease in the risk of newborns being admitted to a special care nursery
-A 12% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
-A 9% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief
-Less likelihood of baby having a low Apgar score at birth
*As reported in The Evidence for Doulas by Rebecca Dekker. The entire article can be found at http://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/. Every family should have access to this kind of support. As John H. Kennell, MD once stated, "If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it." I am sensitive to the needs of diverse families and work with all sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and gender identities in the greater Sacramento, CA Area. Please visit my website at http://www.riverbendbirthservices.com for more detailed information about my scope of practice as a birthworker and childbirth educator, as well as what my past clients are saying about my services!
