"Respecting the woman as an important and valuable human being and making certain that the woman’s experience while giving birth is fulfilling and empowering is not just a nice extra, it is absolutely essential as it makes the woman strong and therefore makes society strong. ”
- Marsden Wagner
Such is the life of a doula, respecting the mother, empowering her, supporting their labor partner, and so much more. It is important work, helping bring a new life into this world, a responsibilty that SoDu Parents Posse member Ashley Rankin Collins cherishes as owner of Little Bee Birth Partner.
Ashley offers complete birth, postpartum and sibling doula services to families, and holds rebozo workshops for expecting couples and childbirth professionals throughout the Triangle and beyond. Her work is multi-faceted and her approach is holistic - simply making births better.
So who is a doula? The word "doula" (pronounced doo'-luh) comes from the Ancient Greek word δούλη, meaning a "woman who serves." But it was the landmark book "Mothering the Mother", that gave the word its current meaning - a doula is a person, usually a woman, who provides physical and emotional support to a woman and her family during labor, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
Why use a doula in your labor? Some of the proven benefits of birth doulas include:
* Reduction in the overall cesarean rate by 50%
* Reduction in the length of labor by 25%
* Reduced oxytocin use by 40%
* Reduction in the use of pain medication by 30%
* Reduction of forceps deliveries by 40%
* Reduction of requests for epidurals by 60%
"I think one of the best things we could do would be to help women/parents/families discover their own birth power, from within themselves. And to let them know it's always been there, they just needed to tap into it." - John H. Kennell, MD
- Marsden Wagner
Such is the life of a doula, respecting the mother, empowering her, supporting their labor partner, and so much more. It is important work, helping bring a new life into this world, a responsibilty that SoDu Parents Posse member Ashley Rankin Collins cherishes as owner of Little Bee Birth Partner.
Ashley offers complete birth, postpartum and sibling doula services to families, and holds rebozo workshops for expecting couples and childbirth professionals throughout the Triangle and beyond. Her work is multi-faceted and her approach is holistic - simply making births better.
So who is a doula? The word "doula" (pronounced doo'-luh) comes from the Ancient Greek word δούλη, meaning a "woman who serves." But it was the landmark book "Mothering the Mother", that gave the word its current meaning - a doula is a person, usually a woman, who provides physical and emotional support to a woman and her family during labor, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
Why use a doula in your labor? Some of the proven benefits of birth doulas include:
* Reduction in the overall cesarean rate by 50%
* Reduction in the length of labor by 25%
* Reduced oxytocin use by 40%
* Reduction in the use of pain medication by 30%
* Reduction of forceps deliveries by 40%
* Reduction of requests for epidurals by 60%
"I think one of the best things we could do would be to help women/parents/families discover their own birth power, from within themselves. And to let them know it's always been there, they just needed to tap into it." - John H. Kennell, MD
Ashley became a doula shortly after the birth of her own child, who arrived 11 weeks early and weighing only 2lbs 3 oz via emergency cesarean. Ashley explains that "having a doula present at our birth allowed my husband to put his focus (and worry) on me and walk the experience with me; instead of trying to remember all the things we would or would not like to have happen. The doula was there to remind us of our options, prompt us to ask for space to make decisions, and when our birth plan took a dramatic and scary turn, she was the wave of calm in a storm of chaos. It clearly made an impact one me, and it led me to become a doula myself. Now I get to support women and their families as they welcome their newest babies during birth and at home as they work out their new roles as parents." The name of her service was inspired by her daughter Beatrice Kate's complex birth. When she was in the NICU, she earned herself the nickname "Busy Bea".
When you make the important decision to choose a doula, you can be confident that Little Bee Birth Partner is tried and trusted. Ashley has attended over 100 births as a doula and is DONA (Doulas of North America) certified. She has attended births at all the major Triangle Area hospitals and birth centers. Her birth doula services include "an initial (complementary) meeting where we'll get to know each other, up to two in-depth meetings where we'll discuss your birth plan and coping techniques for labor in detail, and one postpartum visit where we'll review your birth and address any issues you may be facing during your recovery. Also, I offer UNLIMITED phone, e-mail and text message communication throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period and will be on-call to you starting during your 38th week of pregnancy."
When you make the important decision to choose a doula, you can be confident that Little Bee Birth Partner is tried and trusted. Ashley has attended over 100 births as a doula and is DONA (Doulas of North America) certified. She has attended births at all the major Triangle Area hospitals and birth centers. Her birth doula services include "an initial (complementary) meeting where we'll get to know each other, up to two in-depth meetings where we'll discuss your birth plan and coping techniques for labor in detail, and one postpartum visit where we'll review your birth and address any issues you may be facing during your recovery. Also, I offer UNLIMITED phone, e-mail and text message communication throughout your pregnancy and postpartum period and will be on-call to you starting during your 38th week of pregnancy."
It is exceedingly clear that Ashley is driven by the need to help other women have their best birth possible, and as such she is a giving person. Little Bee Birth Partner offers discounts for NICU families, single parent families and teenage mothers and alternative payment arrangements for those who are having trouble affording services but want to benefit from a doula's wisdom. The rebozos that Little Bee uses are sourced from Laos, and are handmade by local women as a way to generate income for their families and communities, and to help them improve the quality of their lives. In addition to that, she volunteers at the Diaper Bank of NC with her fellow doulas from the Bull City Doula Collective, who serve as backups doulas for each other. To me, her thoughtful, ethical approach and generosity speaks volumes about her character and how she approaches her job.
In addition to being a doula for all stages of birth and postpartum needs, Ashley also offers private childbirth education classes (on matters including cloth diapering, birth plans and comfort measures) and Rebozo Workshops for Expecting Couples.
What is a rebozo? It is a colorful traditional Mexican shawl that is long enough to wrap around a woman's body. It acts as a tool for labor, used in assisting the mother into various positions for labor, comfort, or relaxation. Ashley has seen firsthand how the rebozo works as "an extension of a partner's hands as they support a laboring mother and now I offer a short class just for couples to learn how they might incorporate it into their birth story. During the workshop we learn new comfort measures for late pregnancy and birth, show partners ways they can support a mother for longer, by working stronger, and couples get time to share their needs/fears/hopes for birth. It's a wonderful workshop to take in addition to a traditional childbirth education class; or for second time parents who just want to refresh their memories and focus on their upcoming baby. The rebozo acts as a tangible metaphor for an expecting couple's preparation leading to birth, the hard work they put into the birthing process, and is a physical reminder of the collaboration between members of your birth team. Rebozo techniques give the dad or partner a way to use their hands in a powerful way for the laboring mother. They work smarter with the rebozo, which becomes their invitation to be involved in the birth of their child."
"Childbirth is an experience in a woman's life that holds the power to transform her forever. Passing through these powerful gates - in her own way - remembering all the generations of women who walk with her... She is never alone." - Suzanne Arms
What is a rebozo? It is a colorful traditional Mexican shawl that is long enough to wrap around a woman's body. It acts as a tool for labor, used in assisting the mother into various positions for labor, comfort, or relaxation. Ashley has seen firsthand how the rebozo works as "an extension of a partner's hands as they support a laboring mother and now I offer a short class just for couples to learn how they might incorporate it into their birth story. During the workshop we learn new comfort measures for late pregnancy and birth, show partners ways they can support a mother for longer, by working stronger, and couples get time to share their needs/fears/hopes for birth. It's a wonderful workshop to take in addition to a traditional childbirth education class; or for second time parents who just want to refresh their memories and focus on their upcoming baby. The rebozo acts as a tangible metaphor for an expecting couple's preparation leading to birth, the hard work they put into the birthing process, and is a physical reminder of the collaboration between members of your birth team. Rebozo techniques give the dad or partner a way to use their hands in a powerful way for the laboring mother. They work smarter with the rebozo, which becomes their invitation to be involved in the birth of their child."
"Childbirth is an experience in a woman's life that holds the power to transform her forever. Passing through these powerful gates - in her own way - remembering all the generations of women who walk with her... She is never alone." - Suzanne Arms
If there is any doubt that Little Bee Birth Partner is an excellent choice for your doula services, then read on to hear the words of praise, straight from clients themselves.
"Ashley has been a life-saver or I should say mental-health saver these last few weeks that I have been adjusting to becoming a mother of two. She has gone above and beyond what I expected from my postpartum care, and I could not say enough good things about my experience. Ashley entertained my two year old so that I could nurse and bond with my newborn while also doing laundry, washing my leftover dishes, making snacks, and offering helpful tips on breastfeeding issues. When I needed some one-on-one time with my older son since he was feeling left out, she jumped right in with my newborn and kept him happy while also doing those tasks around the house that I could never get around to. She went with me on outings so that I didn't feel so overwhelmed with my two boys, and she made my re-entry into the outside world less scary. I was concerned that it would feel awkward having a stranger helping in my house, but Ashley made me feel so comfortable from the first day. My only regret with Ashley is that I didn't have her help with my first son!"
-Hannah
"Ashley has been a life-saver or I should say mental-health saver these last few weeks that I have been adjusting to becoming a mother of two. She has gone above and beyond what I expected from my postpartum care, and I could not say enough good things about my experience. Ashley entertained my two year old so that I could nurse and bond with my newborn while also doing laundry, washing my leftover dishes, making snacks, and offering helpful tips on breastfeeding issues. When I needed some one-on-one time with my older son since he was feeling left out, she jumped right in with my newborn and kept him happy while also doing those tasks around the house that I could never get around to. She went with me on outings so that I didn't feel so overwhelmed with my two boys, and she made my re-entry into the outside world less scary. I was concerned that it would feel awkward having a stranger helping in my house, but Ashley made me feel so comfortable from the first day. My only regret with Ashley is that I didn't have her help with my first son!"
-Hannah
"Ashley was my doula for the birth of my daughter a few weeks ago. I honestly believe that hiring her was the best decision we made during my pregnancy. She provided us with a wealth of information. Ashley worked hard to ensure I had all the tools I needed to make decisions during the birth. Her presence made all the difference in my birth. I don't know anyone who feels as positively about their birth experience as I do, and I feel that was due entirely to Ashley's involvement."
- Kellie, go
"We had a wonderful experience with Ashley. She was recommended by close friends, and we honestly weren't sure what to expect or what having a doula entailed. Leading up to the birth, she was an excellent resource for information and was very supportive throughout the pregnancy. But it was her presence at the actual birth that really sold us on having a doula-- she was present without being overbearing and offered many helpful suggestions for pain management. The labor was long, and she was truly with us the entire time. She empowered my husband to take an active role, and he found her presence to be an enormous help in navigating the process. Overall, it was just very comforting to have her there, particularly since this was a new experience for us. We will absolutely reach out to her for any future pregnancies and can't imagine going through a birth without her!"
- Caroline
"Ashley Collins is a rock star of a doula. I can't and don't want to imagine my birth experience without her."
- Elisabeth
Find more testimonials about Ashley and the positive impact Little Bee Birth Partner has made, go here.
- Kellie, go
"We had a wonderful experience with Ashley. She was recommended by close friends, and we honestly weren't sure what to expect or what having a doula entailed. Leading up to the birth, she was an excellent resource for information and was very supportive throughout the pregnancy. But it was her presence at the actual birth that really sold us on having a doula-- she was present without being overbearing and offered many helpful suggestions for pain management. The labor was long, and she was truly with us the entire time. She empowered my husband to take an active role, and he found her presence to be an enormous help in navigating the process. Overall, it was just very comforting to have her there, particularly since this was a new experience for us. We will absolutely reach out to her for any future pregnancies and can't imagine going through a birth without her!"
- Caroline
"Ashley Collins is a rock star of a doula. I can't and don't want to imagine my birth experience without her."
- Elisabeth
Find more testimonials about Ashley and the positive impact Little Bee Birth Partner has made, go here.
Little Bee Birth Partner is excited to offer SoDu Parents Posse members a $10 discount to her upcoming rebozo workshop to show her support for our community of mothers and their birth partners. Bonus: a free colorful rebozo is included for each registered couple! The next workshop is this upcoming Friday, Dec. 5th at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Jazzercise of RTP (located next to CrossFit RTP) on 4709 South Alston Ave. Register here and get updates on the Facebook Event Page!
Be sure to "like" and visit Little Bee Birth Partner's facebook page, which serves as a doula blog, where Ashley shares information about breastfeeding, labor misconceptions, links to beautiful galleries like those of siblings meeting their baby brother or sister for the first time, and multitudes of articles on the complexity and beauty of birth.
Be sure to "like" and visit Little Bee Birth Partner's facebook page, which serves as a doula blog, where Ashley shares information about breastfeeding, labor misconceptions, links to beautiful galleries like those of siblings meeting their baby brother or sister for the first time, and multitudes of articles on the complexity and beauty of birth.
“Birth is an opportunity to transcend.
To rise above what we are accustomed to,
reach deeper inside ourselves than we are familiar with,
and to see not only what we are truly made of,
but the strength we can access in and through birth.”
– Marcie Macari
So if we are to transcend through labor as women, shouldn't we have someone trusted as our guide?
You can't find a more comforting and knowledgable guide than Little Bee Birth Partner
to help you get there.
http://www.littlebeebirthpartner.net/
To rise above what we are accustomed to,
reach deeper inside ourselves than we are familiar with,
and to see not only what we are truly made of,
but the strength we can access in and through birth.”
– Marcie Macari
So if we are to transcend through labor as women, shouldn't we have someone trusted as our guide?
You can't find a more comforting and knowledgable guide than Little Bee Birth Partner
to help you get there.
http://www.littlebeebirthpartner.net/
FTC required disclosure: The above post is a sponsored advertisement. Some of the content, such as the images, are provided by the pardner for my use. I give permission for this blog post to be used in perpetuity by the pardner as they wish. May seem silly, but legally I gotta say it. Congrats for reading the fine print!
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