Make your baby's birth a
special beginning: A Blessed Beginning. Use an experienced doula
who knows how to make this special event an extraordinary day to be
cherished forever: birth the way YOU want it.
Katherine Houdek Gurney, B. S., CD(DONA)
Experienced Labor Doula
Postpartum Doula
Phone: (918) 355-7206
email: kath-doula@cox.net
What is a Doula? You
undoubtedly have many questions, on of which is probably “What is a
Doula?” The word “Doula”, originally from the Greek language,
means “servant.” Today it refers to a woman who helps another
woman through childbirth. This supportive companion is
professionally trained to provide physical, emotional, and
informational
support to women and their partners during labor and birth as well as
help and advice on non-pharmacologic comfort measures such as
breathing,
relaxation, massage and positioning. She can also assist families
on gathering information about the course of their labor and their
options.
I have always been
fascinated by the miracle of childbirth. I’ve always had a heart
to help pregnant women through territory that is new to them and their
partner, especially those who are experiencing a crisis
pregnancy.
When I heard about the work of the doula 5 years ago, I felt that a new
world of helping pregnant women had opened to me. I contacted
DONA
(Doulas of North America) and received my certification packet.
After that, I devoured all the labor and birth care books that I could
get my hands on. I had to travel to attend a doula training
course
in Minneapolis, MN, lead by a wonderful trainer, Gail Tully. I’ve
been certified as a birth doula through DONA since April of 2001.
Since then I’ve had the opportunity to attend births in many settings
including some out of the Tulsa area (Chicago, Minnesota, and Boston).
According to the
ground-breaking work of Drs. Marshall Klaus and John Kennell and
Phyllis
Klaus, M.Ed. in their book, Mothering the Mother, studies have shown
that having a doula in attendance can result in the following benefits:
I work with moms on a
personalized birth plan based on their preferences for the labor and
delivery of their baby. I also work with dads giving them ideas on how
to best support their partners throughout labor. This will usually be
done during one (or more) of three prenatal visits. My fees vary and
include: Three prenatal visits, time spent with you in labor (at home
or
hospital), a postpartum visit in the hospital (or home), and a keepsake
story of your baby's birth. Before I can add you to my schedule,
a
non-refundable retainer fee of $150 is due upon signing of a
contract for doula services. For some reasons I may be out of
town
or with another client. These occasions are rare as I normally do
not schedule any clients over scheduled vacation periods. I work
with another certified doula who will serve as a backup if for some
unforeseen reason I'm unavailable for your birth.
Postpartum doula
services are available at the rate of $15 per hour. This includes
caring for you and your baby at home during the postpartum period and
includes help with breastfeeding, newborn care, information resources,
light housekeeping, shopping, and childcare. This is especially
helpful if you are recovering from a cesarean section.
Private childbirth
education is available and is taught in your home tailored to your
specific needs and schedule. The processes and stages of labor
are
discussed as well as various relaxation techniques. I usually
meet
with you and your labor partner for a total of 12 hours (preferably one
night per week for two hours). The cost for childbirth education
classes is $125.
For the last 17 years,
I have worked in the childbirth area through various outlets.
I’ve
worked at crisis pregnancy centers, for hospitals, and I’ve attended
births as an experienced labor doula for the last 6 years. I have
a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tulsa as well as an
Associate of Arts degree from Tulsa Community College.
I am located in
Owasso, Oklahoma, but I also work in Tulsa and surrounding suburbs such
as Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Glenpool, and other surrounding
areas. I am no further than 25 minutes away from all of the major
medical centers in Tulsa.
I've worked with expectant parents since 1987 and have truly enjoyed
the experience. This work is my ministry and feel that I've been called
to this special area of work. Please feel free to call or email me for more information.
The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth,
Henci
Goer
This book thoroughly examines all topics related
to birth. The "need to knows" about labor and delivery
explained in a very straightforward manner. The author does
not mince words and does a very good job of educating consumers about
all aspects of labor and birth. Goer does an excellent job
of educating the childbirth consumer and encourages the reader to
discover the type of childbirth situation which is right for them.
The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to
Help a Woman During Childbirth, Penny Simkin
This book is written for the woman's partner and
explains everything from birth induction to the "take charge" method
for
helping a woman through difficult times during labor.
The Complete Book of Pregnancy and
Childbirth, Sheila Kitzinger
Another must read for the expectant mom,
Kitzinger does a wonderful job of explaining every facet of pregnancy
from early pregnancy to the postpartum period. She uses an
easy-to-read format and explains the basics of childbirth without
"dumbing down" the process.
This book is a follow up to their original book Mothering
the Mother. In this book the reader is shown how doulas
achieve their success and details the studies which have shown the
benefits of a doula.
This site provides more information on doulas
and certification as well as other consumer information on childbirth
issues.