"Birth is not only about making babies,
but about making mothers;
strong, competent, and capable mothers
who trust themselves
and know their inner strength."
- Barbara Katz Rothman
I'll tell you the truth...you are strong, competent, capable, intuitive and made to birth your baby. Then, why is it that so many women leave the birth room feeling far less than those things about themselves? Contrary to popular thought, it has far less to do with whether or not a birth ends in vaginal delivery or c-section or even goes as planned.
Studies and wise gurus in the field of childbirth have identified that the kind of support birthing families have around them during their birth significantly impacts their ability to confidently and positively navigate their birth options, birth their babies, and enter parenthood and postpartum. Therefore, it's important to have a birth team that SUPPORTS you, TRUSTS you, and BELIEVES in you, even if the outcome of your child's birth is different than what you'd planned for.
Wanting to learn what your birth options are?
Looking for someone who knows you and that you trust by your side during your birth?
Tired of having a birth team that doubts your ability to make informed decisions that are best for your family?
Wanting to prepare for a natural birth but aren't sure how to adequately prepare?
Ready to become more fully informed for your birth so that you are equipped to confidently navigate the twists and turns that may come?
As a rite of passage, birth is transformative. It is a journey that takes a woman far into the sacred depths within herself until she returns as the mother her baby came into the world for. A journey of this significance calls for solid information, intentionality, physical and emotional safety, love, honesty and aligned support.
You can find that here!
I serve growing families in the Wenatchee Valley and surrounding areas with the following options:
Birth Doula
As a certified Intentional Birth Pro and certified Body Ready Method pro, I am here to encourage, equip, and faithfully support you throughout your birth journey. We cover topics like advocacy and birth trauma, body prep tools and exercises, mindfulness, evidence-based practice, knowing your birth options and planning for them, comfort measures, and much more. I believe you and your baby's experience matters and I love to tailor my skillset to best fit your needs. Interested in learning more about my doula services?
Placenta Encapsulation
Yes, this is a thing! This practice has been widely reported by mothers to improve mood, energy levels, and breastmilk supply postpartum. Some research has even suggested this practice may help with delayed milk production (after a c-section for instance) and postpartum depression. As an APPA trained encapsulator, I pick up your placenta, process it, and return it to you within 2-3 days after your birth.
Hello there!
I'm Mary-Jo Eddy, the founder of Sacred Souls Doula.
I'm a wife, mother of two sweet girls, a certified birth doula, and a huge nerd for all things birth! This calling of mine blossomed during my own journey into motherhood and birthed Sacred Souls Doula shortly after the birth of my second. You can read more of my story by clicking on the button below.
Wondering if I'd be a good fit for your family?
The best way to know is to schedule a free consult with me and get better acquainted with who I am, what I do, and why I do what I do. Nevertheless, almost every free consult, I am asked, "What is your birth philosophy?" For this reason, I have outlined some of the most central philosophies and beliefs I hold about birth to offer more clarity regarding the foundation I work from. (PS: the list below is not comprehensive.)
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Birth is a beautiful, complex, and challenging journey that is designed to work. In other words, birth is a biological process that more often than not produces a healthy mother and healthy baby with little guidance and intervention (if that physiology is understood, honored, and prioritized by the care team and even more so if the provider is skilled in physiological birth).
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Birth (in and of itself) is not pathological. Rather, it is a normal, everyday event and is about as dangerous as life gets itself. For example, birth is as dangerous as getting into your car and driving a certain distance to your destination. There is the possibility of getting a flat tire, crashing, having another car run into you, or having your timing belt give out among many other things, but most of the time, this isn't the case. Preparation and car maintenance goes a long way to have what you need in the moment that does happen and often even prevents those risks.
A baby is created by the sperm of a man and an egg of a woman. Although the woman has the prominent and sacred role of carrying, birthing, and nourishing the baby, the man has a vital and complementary role in the process and is much more than just wallpaper in the birthing room.
Achieving a natural (AKA enjoyable physiological, vaginal) birth often takes much more preparation nowadays than it ever used to. A solid education on birth, a care provider with a competent and aligned skillset, practical birth prep, and a calm and trusting environment can make the difference between a vaginal birth or c-section, fond memories of the birth or birth trauma, mostly intense sensation during contractions or lots of pain, and feeling in tune with the process or feeling helpless during the process and after.
Interventions like monitoring, epidural, labor induction, c-section, and others are not bad or wrong. Rather, they are tools that carry risk and benefits just like anything else. Fully informing oneself of the risks, benefits, and alternatives of these is the start of determining which tool will be most helpful for you in any given circumstance and support your birth the way you'd like it to go.
Mom, you are the only person who can know what is best for you and your baby at any given time. You have a sacred connection with your baby and body that no one else around you has. There is no right or wrong or best way to give birth. The role of your care team is not to tell you what is best for you and your baby or what you need to do but rather to inform and educate you on your options, recommend some type of a care (OB or midwife), trust you with the decision, and then provide the care you give consent for. You are competent, you are able, your are worthy, and I believe in you!