If you've made it this far, you're probably somewhat knowledgeable of the proven benefits that result from the support of a birth doula during pregnancy and birth. DONA International lists a few benefits of women who utilized birth doula support in their Position Paper: The Birth Doula's Role in Maternity Care including: 

 

- 28% less likely to have a cesarean section

- 31% less likely to use synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) to speed up labor

- 9% less likely to use any pain medication

- 34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively 

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As amazing as those statistics are, those are just numbers. Sometimes it's nice to hear real stories from real-life mothers and how the support of a birth doula impacted their birth experience. 

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Take a look at what previous Thirteen & Finn Clients have to say: 

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"We had such a wonderful experience working with Cortney for my first pregnancy! There is no way we would have had the birth experience we wanted without her support and guidance. She is such a wealth of knowledge about all things pregnancy and birth-related; no question was too small or too personal to warrant a thoughtful and empathic response from her. Having her there to answer questions and keep us grounded in our choices as we navigated medical decisions throughout pregnancy was such a relief.  Working with Cortney to develop our birth plan left me feeling empowered and ready for labor. Her encouragement, comfort measures, gentle reminders of skills we had practiced, and sense of humor were exactly what we needed to keep things running smoothly during labor and delivery. She even photographed the birth for us and captured some amazing moments we will cherish forever. With Cortney's help, this first time Mama had a beautiful and empowering experience welcoming our little one into the world!"                                                   -Annie, 1st-time mom, June 2021

 

 

"Cortney was a terrific match for us!  She has such a warm personality and makes you feel at ease.  She was able to personalize her services to meet our needs.  She did an extra pre-natal appointment and was very thorough and informative not only preparing us for what to expect at birth but also postpartum.  Things did not go as planned but we felt informed and confident as the obstacles arose and we welcomed our sweet baby boy into this world.  We look forward to working with Cortney again!"                                                                                                                    -Veronica, 1st-time mom, April 2021

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"Cortney was truly amazing at the birth of our son. Our birth plan changed and she kept finding ways to support me and my husband during my labor. I ended up with an epidural so I couldn’t use any of our planned comfort strategies but she was still so helpful. She helped explain what was going on, she talked to me and kept my brain distracted, she kept me company so my husband could get some sleep (which he was so thankful for), and she was encouraging and supportive when we noticed something was wrong with our child after he was born. I will forever be thankful that she was there with us before, during, and after my labor and delivery."                                                                                                -Tori, 1st-time mom, February 2021

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"I had a fantastic experience with Cortney. She has the calmest, most positive, and most supportive demeanor. I instantly felt like she was the right choice for labor support because of that. She greatly helped my confidence during challenging labor. My baby had a complication and needed surgery about 6 weeks after birth. She continued to check on us during that stressful time and after, as well. Highly recommend her!"

                                                                                                                                            -Brookelyn, 3rd-time mom, November 2020                          

 

"Cortney was our doula for the birth of our daughter at the end of November. This was our first baby. We were able to meet with her twice prior to the birth and she was extremely helpful and very knowledgeable about the birthing process. If she did not have the answers or we asked for more resources she was very prompt in her follow-up to provide them. She texted us throughout the pregnancy checking in to see how things were going. She is very friendly and has a wonderful easygoing personality making communication a breeze and quickly building our trust with her. During labor, she was extremely supportive and took a very hands-on approach at the hospital helping us and the medical professionals. Since the birth, she has checked in on us several times via text and came to visit for a postpartum check-in. She was also very up to date on all the hospital Covid protocols and communicated with us as things changed. She also brought her camera and took some wonderful pictures during labor and after delivery. We would absolutely recommend her to anyone looking for a doula."

                                                                                                                                                   -Heather, 1st-time mom, November 2020

 

 

"Cortney was amazing at the birth of my son! She helped me stay calm and was very motivating and encouraging. She helped me a bunch in the weeks leading up to the birth too. She has a positive demeanor and I loved getting to work with her."

                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                           -Stacy, 2nd-time mom, October 2020

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"During a time of global pandemic and a lot of uncertainty, Cortney did a fabulous job working with us and the current circumstances to make our birth experience an awesome one.  She went above and beyond, was extremely supportive all throughout pregnancy, shared her knowledge with us along the way to help us prepare for birth, and was reachable when we needed her.  Though we couldn't have her present during the birth because of hospital restrictions, she did a wonderful job being available and assisting us via text (and she was more than willing to use a video service or make phone calls if we felt we needed it!).  We also felt very supported by her during the postpartum visit to our home. 

One thing we particularly love about Cortney is her obvious passion for what she does and her desire to do that well.  When we met with her, we could feel her excitement and see her dedication to making sure women (and their partners!) have a positive birth experience.  She is quick to share her knowledge, and if she doesn't have an answer, she will find one for you or point you to someone who does. We would absolutely recommend Cortney to anyone thinking about hiring a doula for their birth! She is kind, caring, and passionate about her work. Thank you, Cortney, for a great experience!"

                                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                     -Kim, 3rd-time mom, July 2020

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"We had a very positive experience with Cortney. When you partner with her, you are hiring not only a true professional but an advocate and friend as well. She pours everything into the birthing experience and is a wealth of knowledge and resources. She serves all parties involved and makes the experience as positive and comfortable as possible. We definitely recommend her and will seek her again in the future."

                                                                                                                                                                        -Ben, 3rd-time dad, July 2020

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"I highly recommend Cortney as your birth support person and doula. Cortney was in training when we first met, but you would have never known. As a mama to 2 littles, she brought personal experience to the table that really resonated with me. She provided me with numerous resources to prepare for an all-natural birth with my husband as my coach. When I had questions about my choices, she always provided nonbiased information so I could make the most informed and best decision for myself and my family. When the time came to give birth, she coached me through the early laboring hours and when nothing went according to plan, validated my feelings and helped me feel in control of what I could control. She was there when we needed her and faded away when we didn’t. She went above and beyond to take birth photos and came back the following day to capture our first baby meeting our second baby. Finally, when medical complications were happening and breastfeeding was failing, she provided me with support and resources to help me succeed in my journey. I am grateful. Cortney is calming, confident in her skills and knowledge, and felt like a best friend holding your hand through it all."                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                                       -Angela, 2nd-time mom, March 2020

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"Cortney was essential in my birth process. She was calm, collected, supportive, educated, helpful, loving, empathetic, and empowering. Not just for me but for my fiancé/father of the child, and my mom. She was able to give them recommendations on ways to help me and to help themselves also. She was there through every up and down for a good 24 hours I want to say she was there with us. She was able to explain what was happening with a calm demeanor as my entire natural birth plan was unraveling to pieces leading up to an emergency c-section. I couldn’t have done it without her and I highly recommend her to any woman who needs an advocate and support system outside of family who can be more emotional than actually helpful when things become very stressful. She continues to be a great support and someone I plan to use in the future for any other births and I’m so blessed to have had the chance to work with her and have her be a part of my first labor experience even if it didn’t go how I planned. She made it all easier. She even got some great photos of me and my family while I was in labor. Thank you so much, Cortney, love Holly and little Forrest!"

                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                             -Holly, 1st-time mom, March 2020

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