Five and Mine Doula Care
Gabriayle Stapf – Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula
What I Do
As a birth doula I support the mother and her partner through pregnancy, labor, and delivery. I provide physical supportive comfort measures, which can include breathing, massage, position changes, counter pressure, icing or heating, bringing food and beverages, and more. I also provide emotional supportive comfort measures, which can include encouragement and reassurance which help reduce fear, anxiety, and panic, as well as being a continuous presence throughout the pregnancy, labor, and delivery for mom and partner to be able to focus on the mother birthing. I also provide information to help the mother and partner make informed decisions as well as ensuring they have an active role for their voice to be heard. This is just the basics and there is so much more I would love to talk to you about that I offer.
As a postpartum doula I support the mother and family unit as a whole to ensure well-being in those important early weeks and months after delivery. I, again, provide emotional, physical and informational support. Emotional supportive care can include helping parents adjust to new roles, engaging in active listening, providing encouragement and reassurance, especially while navigating new terrain, and allowing parents to be human-beings who need and desire connection. Physical or practical support can include newborn care (feeding, diapering, bathing, soothing, and more), breastfeeding support (assisting with establishing a good latch, prepping bottles, cleaning pumping supplies and more), and household tasks (picking up, making food, washing clothing, and more) so that family can spend time bonding and not stressing. Education and resources for infants, postpartum healing, breastfeeding and more are also provided to help in making informed decisions and to help ease peace of mind and body. This is just the basics and there is so much more I would love to talk to you about that I offer.
As a house cleaner I can come in and help with cleaning house so that families can focus their time and energy on sibling bonding, parental bonding, without the stress of piles of dishes and clothing being overwhelming. Unlike traditional house cleaners, I do not require you to be out of the home while I perform tasks. This type of cleaning is more of a management than a scheduled deep cleaning. I would love to talk to you about your individual needs!
My Values
My values focus on supportive care and kindness. I understand that all of us come from different walks of life. All of us have different stories, fears, strengths, beliefs, and voices. My value is on the mother and her family being able to have confidence, empowerment, and compassion when it comes to their voice and their family.
I value continuing care. My job is to help care for mothers and families. I value being able to leave these relationships knowing that I have given information, care, and advocacy for families to be confident in themselves and their birth stories in the future.
I value voice. My job is without judgement. My job is not to be the voice for families, but to help families be confident in using their voice to communicate their needs and expectations.
I value holistic care. I recognize that emotional well-being and physical health are interconnected and I am here to support and care for those needs so the family and individual function as a whole.
My Vision
Doula is not just a job, its my passion.
My vision is being able to serve families in a way that empowers them in their birthing experience, postpartum care, and family cohesiveness.
As a mother of four, I knew nothing about doulas in my pregnancies. I wish I did. Knowing what I know now, about how much a doula can make a positive difference, I would’ve had one with each of my babies.
My hope, is that more mothers are saved traumatic experiences in pregnancy through postpartum, and instead see the miracle that is this birthing experience.
Above are my certifications for being a Birth and Postpartum Doula.