Bella Labor

I left my house in the early morning hours to go support a client birth her baby. But this wasn’t just any client. It was her third baby in four years, and I have been there for all three of her special days. Three beautiful baby boys. Three inspiring, unique births. One strong mama. I was incredibly honored when they asked me if I would cut the cord. Welcome to the world, baby Lucas!

“She was planning to give birth at Novant hospital until she learned about a new policy there, requiring doulas to register with the hospital. Novant tells us it’s the same registration process required for its contract workers, agents, and even its vendors - all the people who are brought in by the hospital. But Nielsen worried that meant her doula would have to answer to the hospital first and her second.”

This is a legitimate concern. When a hospital system requires an independent doula to wear its badge, and then retains full control over when and how that badge can be revoked, that doula ceases to be independent and their loyalty must ultimately stay with the system that controls how and when they can access their clients. This proves to be a major conflict of interest. It’s just that simple.

“The policy itself is not patient centered. It takes away a patient’s voice. They are limited to those few doulas who have signed up for the program. So it’s really very restrictive in terms of giving patients choice."

Novant's new policy requires doulas to register with the hospital The policy at Novant Health requires that doulas now register with the hospital.

The holidays are here and we are celebrating by offering anyone who signs with us by the end of the year a free belly binding that helps promote postpartum healing!

I’m honored to be featured as the “doula of the month” on this Charlotte-area directory of local doulas! Check out my interview on their site!

Meet Sarah Smith — Your Charlotte Doulas When did you first learn about doulas? I first learned about doulas in 2004 from an article in a pregnancy magazine that I happened to pick up. From a very young age - when I had been invited by my mother to witness the births of my two younger brothers – I had always secretly wanted to become a m