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Birth Doula Services

Birth Doula Basic Package

Initial meeting includes a free consultation to review services and contract. Prenatal
  • 2 prenatal home visits; can include hospital tour
  • provide handouts, informational materials
  • help give an overview of labor and birth
  • comfort measures and strategy planning for birth
  • phone/e-mail consultation to discuss pregnancy progress and concerns
24 hr on-call availability
  • From 36th week to delivery
  • Call when you think you are in labor
  • Available at any hour to meet you once you are in labor and need me
Support Throughout Labor and Birth
  • provide support in early to active labor
  • labor support at home, birthing center, or hospital
  • suggestions for activities or positions to help labor progress
  • support for client's partner
  • help with breathing and relaxation techniques
  • massage
  • birthing ball, aromatherapy and crystal therapy
  • help make client's environment feel safe
  • staying by birthing parent's side throughout the entire labor and delivery process
Immediate Postpartum Support
  • staying with you for up to 2 hours following birth to make sure you are stable and secure
  • help with initial feeding if desired
  • 1 postpartum visit within a week or so to review birth experience and assist with any lingering doubts
  • list of referrals as needed
Cost: I offer services on a sliding scale depending on location. For metropolitan areas Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland Bay Area: $2,000.00 to $2,500.00 For El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico the sliding scale is $800.00 to $1,600.00 50% as a deposit to reserve the month you are due, and paid in full by 36 weeks. Additional Services Package: PRENATAL MASSAGE $115 PER SESSION (regularly priced at $125) PLACENTA PREPARATION, CAPSULES, TINCTURE, PRINT $300 (regularly priced at $375) POSTPARTUM CARE FOR CLIENT, TEA, SOUP, BATH $400 PLUS SUPPLIES (regularly priced at $500) El Paso Pricing for additional services: Prenatal Massage $100 Placenta Preparation
  1. Capsules $100
  2. Tincture  $50
  3. Print $25
Postpartum Care for client Tea, Soup, and Bath plus supplies $350    
  We could not have chosen a better person to help guide us on our journey to parenthood! From the beginning, Pati educated me and my husband on how I could achieve the natural birth that I desired. From nutrition tips to advice on how to prepare my body physically, Pati was always committed to my well being before, during, and after labor. She even went with me to one of my OBGYN appointments to meet my doctor! When I went into labor, Pati came over to my house for a few hours and her relaxed and calm nature made everything so pleasant and low key. At the hospital I ended up having to be induced. I appreciated Pati’s sense of humor and support during the longest part of my labor. At the transition stage of active labor, if Pati didn’t encourage me to get out of bed I would have never been able to deliver my baby naturally and pain free! After delivery, Pati stayed with us for a few more hours to make sure we were doing fine and to check in on the baby. A week later she came over to our house and delivered my placenta pills, which helped tremendously in the weeks that followed. These magical placenta pills were the only additional supplement I was taking (aside from my postnatal vitamin) during the months after I delivered. Our journey to parenthood has been a delightful one, thanks largely in part to Pati. She helped to demystify all the common assumptions about childbirth and pregnancy, and allowed me and my husband to empower ourselves through this knowledge (labor does not hurt!). The most important thing a woman needs is a strong and positive support system before, during, and after labor. Pati was there for us and we look forward to working with her again in the future. -M.N & T.C
we loved working with Pati as our doula for our pregnancy and birth! she is amazing, a magical fairy that brings a smile to every session...that said, she is also really REAL. she will tell you how things are without "pelos en la lengua". we appreciated her honesty because being our first pregnancy we needed to know what was up, why, and how we can help me have a healthy labor and birth. Pati is as gentle as a baby cub and firm as a momma lioness. her directives and softness during my labor were crucial in my navigating/surrendering to the waves of intense contractions. and best of all, she is a Queer doula- this was so important to us. i find that her calling to aid in the labor of bringing babies into this world fits her perfectly as a 2-spirit person. -Guadalupe & Delia

5 Ways to Pay for a Midwife (or Doula)

Image by kizzzbeth
By Nina, Modern Alternative Pregnancy Editor Today’s Daily Tip: Never give up, no matter what!  Life will change, you will have bad days, and you will have to constantly adjust.  That will never stop.  Keep going for your goals as long as they make sense! A frustrating truth in America is that many insurance companies will not cover the cost of a doula or midwife. While some have to fight tooth and nail for a company to pay for a safe, normal birth at home with a good midwife, that same company won’t bat an eye at a bill for any c-section (necessary or otherwise) and the consequent three-day hospital stay. Fortunately, there are other ways to pay for your midwife or doula.

What can you expect to pay?

The costs for midwives vary depending on where you live – they’ll be less expensive in Texas than they are in California, just like everything else. Expect to pay around $3,500, which was about $2,000 less than a woman giving birth in the hospital was charged at the hospital I used to work at. A doula’s cost varies, from around $300 for a doula-in-training who needs to assist some laboring women before she gets her certification, to around $800 for an experienced doula. If she’s a well-known doula in the community and highly-sought after, expect to pay a little bit more. (The same holds true for midwives). For some, these numbers are no big deal and are absolutely worthwhile costs for such an important event. However, I know that when I was pregnant and finding this out, I thought it would be impossible to have my baby at home because I couldn’t pay for it. But I did find a way. This was way too important to me to just give up because I didn’t have much money at the time. Where the desire is strong enough, a way will be found.

1. Payment Plans

Many midwives offer payment plans that end with the final bit being paid by 37 weeks. Some may require a certain percentage up front, so this is definitely something you want to find out during the interview process. You could try working out something similar with a doula by hiring her early on in your pregnancy, rather than waiting until the end of the second, or beginning of the third trimester.

2. A season of sacrifice

Intentionally simplifying your life while pregnant is not only good for you – it allows you to focus on the new baby and enjoy the miracle that it is – but it can also be good for your budget. Deciding to have a “season of sacrifice” where you cut expenses can go a long way toward paying for the care you want. A few things that you could cut back on gradually until they’re gone:
  • Starbucks (decaf, of course), chai lattes, or other expensive morning drink habits - Take your pregnancy tea to go.
  • Cable or satellite – Save a lot of money by cutting TV completely or switch to Netflix where you can get unlimited instant watching for $7.99 per month.
  • Cell phone – Call and ask for a rate plan anaylisis. You could significantly lower your bill if you’re paying for more than you’re using.
  • Eating out – Try cutting this significantly and eat simple, nourishing food at home.
  • Going to the movies – Rent a movie at redbox or use netflix to have more frequent, cheaper date nights with your husband.
Instead of spending all of your money on these, you can use it to pay for the labor support you want. http://www.flickr.com/photos/f-r-a-n-k/3896304383/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Image by frankh

3. Increasing income

I’ve read many times that we use 20% of our possessions 80% of the time. My own experimenting with decluttering has proven this to be true. So what do you do with the 80% that you don’t use? Sell it. Much of it can be given away, but there are probably numerous items that can be sold. You can hold a yard sale, but expect to get less on the bigger ticket items. There’s always Craigslist – which has its fair share of spam, but is also free. And then there’s good old Ebay. You will pay fees and have to ship your items, but they do give you access to a whole lot of people.

4. Baby Showers/Blessingways

There are a lot of baby shower gifts that will be given to you that you will never use. Or, you’ll use it once and no more (this isn’t just the minimalist in me talking to you, I promise). Rather than asking for the conventional gifts, let people know that you prefer cash to go toward your “amazing birth attendant fund.” If some people feel weird about giving cash, ask your doula or midwife if they offer birth certificates on their websites.

5. Barter

Some doulas and midwives are happy to barter for their services. While you’ll probably still have to pay some money out-of-pocket, you’ll be able to reduce that amount by offering something in exchange for their services.
  • Photography
  • Website design
  • Custom furniture
  • Cooking/Baking
  • Babysitting
  • Coaching (I happily traded my doula services with a friend who offers branding coaching for businesses)
  • Auto repair
There are several possibilities for goods/services that you could trade. If you’re unsure, you can just ask. If they say no, (or yes) employ the other ideas to help you pay for these important birth and pregnancy services.

Are you using a creative way to pay for your doula/midwife?

Source: http://modernalternativepregnancy.com
Full spectrum Doula services

Full Spectrum Doula Support

Full spectrum Doula services
Photo by Joslyn Smith
As a Full Spectrum Doula, I provide emotional, physical, and informational support to individuals through all pregnancy experiences, including birth, abortion, and miscarriage. Many times people will find themselves in unique situations and need specialized, non-judgemental support through their reproductive health choices and experiences. I educate and help my clients make informed and timely decisions that best meet their interests and needs.
Abortion Doula Testimonial: The work of Ms. Pati—la Chula Doula—Garcia has been an essential part of my healing process. I sought her when it became my turn, as a woman, to make the choice to bring more life into this world, or, as woman, choose not to bring that life into the world. I never knew the power of woman until that choice sat before me. Pati heard me and provided me with the emotional and tangible support I needed to ground my choice in truth. She guided me in a post-abortion care to assist my body in its natural transition towards balance and healing. Thank you, Pati Garcia, for the work you do…for educating and empowering women in the 21st Century about our bodies and our options…for creating and maintaining a safe space to dialogue about what most people fear: women and/or a woman’s body and/or the empowering of women. You are a great human being doing amazing work. Gracias. –Tochtli Perez
Blog on Miscarriage Ceremony: Lety Ibarra Knight shares her story of loss and healing with my support.

Postpartum Doula Support

DSC00036What is a Postpartum Doula? The Postpartum Doula is a trained professional that offers physical, emotional, and spiritual, support to a new mother and the rest of the family. I was trained by Darla Burns of CAPPA in October 2012. Postpartum Doulas also offer breastfeeding support, light household maintenance, family nurturing and instruction to mom and/or other family members in the care of a newborn. The Postpartum Doula’s job is to make the transition to parenthood easier for new parents, to help mom during her recovery period and to ascertain what the family needs help with and provide instruction. The main objective of the Postpartum Doula’s role is not to take over complete care of the newborn, but to educate and support the family so that they will feel empowered to care for their newborn themselves. Postpartum Doulas do NOT offer any medical advice or perform any medical or clinical procedures, but instead can offer parents referrals to appropriate studies and published books. Postpartum doulas should be good with children, patient, non-judgmental, and knowledgeable about newborn care and breastfeeding. The postpartum doula may offer the following:
  • Physical support
  • Emotional Support
  • Spiritual Support
  • Breastfeeding and bottle feeding support and tips
  • Baby care instruction
  • Household assistance
  • Sibling care
  • Meal preparation
  • Errand running
Source: CAPPA.net   Post Womb Wound Care (Bath, Soup, Tea) Post Womb Wound Care for abortion/miscarriage/trauma/birth/etc. Done in your home, at your pace, in your own bathtub. A variety of herbs and foods will be needed and a list will be given to you to begin the process together. What does POST WOMB WOUND mean? This is a phrase I use to describe the state of the uterus after one experiences birth, miscarriage, abortion, or any other type of trauma. We carry physical wounds from the placental site after birth. We also carry emotional wounds from our pasts. As you can imagine there is a vast array of reason why one would benefit from dedicating a little bit of time and energy towards healing the wounds in our wombs. This soup, tea and bath combination are based in Asian tradition. The soup's purpose is to restore warm energy in your womb. The soup is vegan and is rich in minerals and vitamins. It is healing because the warming quality helps strengthen a person after trauma.  The soothing and relaxing bath aids in the healing of the uterus and perineum and increases circulation. There is also a way in which a bath can feel all encompassing, and can reset the energetic body. The tea is like no other. Besides tasting absolutely wonderful, citrus and honey sweet, one can feel how it shifts the body into a higher vibration. The increases circulation, cleanses the womb, balances hormones, and relieves pain physically and emotionally. Overall this combination assists you in your physical/spiritual/emotional wellbeing and healing.  It is a ceremonial process in which I arrive to your home and prepare it all and give you comfort.  Your house will be full of wonderful scent and delicious energy. I was trained by Midwife Ma'at from Birth Mama.

Placenta Medicine/ Encapsulation

I encapsulate placentas in the Traditional Chinese Medicine method using a combination of herbs and spices designed to “warm” the placenta. It is believed that a person loses their warmth when they give birth, and placenta medicine is the perfect way  to not only regain this warmth but also increase lactation, raise energy levels, and balance hormones. The end result of this process are 80-120 divine placenta capsules perfectly formulated by nature. Capsules are vegetarian and kosher, double Tincture is made by soaking a small piece of fresh placenta in strong alcohol; it may be used after your capsules are gone by placing drops in a glass of water, similar to an herbal tincture. (6-week prep time) Putting part of your placenta in tincture form is another way to stretch out its longevity. A small portion of placenta is added to Everclear alcohol and set to ferment for 6 weeks. Some of the benefits include hormone stabilization in your postpartum cycles, less bleeding during those cycles, energy and for menopause years down the road. The female child can also benefit from placental tincture once she begins her menstruation cycles. Bring a small cooler and 2 ziplock gallon freezer baggies to transfer the placenta if the hospital’s plastic tub doesn't fit in your cooler. Hospitals always have plenty of ice to place in a small cooler. We can arrange pick up/drop off from hospital. Please fill out the form below and send a deposit of 50% if you would like me to prepare your placenta. Also, feel free to call if you'd like any clarifications or more information. Cost for Placenta Capsules: $300 Los Angeles, $100 El Paso Placenta Tincture: $50 Natural Placenta Print: $25    

Prepare My Placenta Request Form

Pregnancy Massage

Pregnancy Massage is offered during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters to help soothe the aches, pains, and worries clients might be experiencing.  A combination of acupressure and deep tissue masssage are used during this relaxing one hour session. Packages are available for ongoing sessions.  Discounts are available for my doula clients.
 
Seven Benefits of Pregnancy Massage:
 
1. Increased circulation
2. Reduced anxiety
3. Improved labor outcome
4. Fewer birth complications
5. Reduction of swelling
6. Better sleep
7. Reduced muscle tension and headaches
Cost: $125

Self-exam/Check out your cervix!

During this session, I guide you through the process of using a speculum, flashlight, and mirror to view your cervix. The session allows for plenty of time and directed breathing so that you can go at your own pace. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your sexual health history and ask any questions you may have about anatomy and sex. Self-exam is useful for understanding your state of health and observing what your cervix is communicating to you, such as fertility, stress, and imbalance. You will receive a speculum to take home with you and continue the journey of discovery. (extra Speculums available for purchase at $10 each) Cost: Sliding Scale $50-$80