menu

RESOURCES

FAQs

FAQs

Doula FAQs

Doula FAQs


What is homebirth? 
A homebirth is just that: the act of delivering your baby in your own home. You can have a homebirth if you own or rent your home, if you live in a townhome, or if you live in an apartment. Some people have homebirth with their parents or extended family present, while others prefer to keep it quiet with just themselves and their birth support team. 

Who attends a homebirth? What does care look like?
If you choose a homebirth, you can decide to work with certified nurse midwives, CNMs, or certified practicing midwives, CPMs. Others choose to have medically unassisted births, meaning that they deliver their baby in the presence of only their partner and family and/or doula. In the case of a homebirth with a midwife, you will have monthly prenatal visits with your midwife that typically last longer than visits with traditional OBGYNs – try an hour instead of the usual 15 minutes! You might discuss how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, nutrition, vaccines for you and baby if needed or wanted, your birth plan, etc. Your midwife can order blood work for you, just like an OBGYN, and can administer a gestational diabetes glucose tolerance test (such as Fresh Test) if you choose do so. She’ll check in on your thyroid, too, especially if you or your family has history of thyroid imbalance. Between 28 and 30 weeks, you may start to see your midwife biweekly. At around 36 or 37 weeks, you may choose to check in weekly with your midwife until the baby arrives. At your homebirth, your support team will typically consist of: your chosen midwife, a backup midwife or midwife’s assistant, a doula if you have chosen one, and your partner. You may have additional people present if you want to! 

What is the doula’s role in a homebirth? 
Most women choose a doula around 20 weeks gestation, but many start looking for a doula right away! Doulas typically meet with moms 2 or 3 times before the birth of the baby, and will also attend a home visit with the midwife around 37 or 38 weeks. Your doula will provide emotional support every step of the way of your pregnancy path, informational support for anything that you feel unsure of, and physical support during the labor and birth of your baby. Your doula may offer meditations, journal prompts, creative ideas for stress reduction and relaxation, and rites-of-passage such performing The Closing of the Bones during postpartum recovery. Doulas are trained professional with plenty of experience managing new and uncomfortable sensations that may arise during pregnancy and birth, and you can bet that your labor doula has some excellent strategies for relief that will work for you during the birth process. Typically labor & birth doulas will also check in on you and baby within a day or two after the birth to talk about your birth experience and make sure you are comfortable. Oftentimes doulas will prepare meals during this time, as well.

What can a doula offer during the birth process?
Many doulas are also mothers. One of the greatest gifts that a doula can offer to new moms is relatability and reassurance. I will always stand by this! Your doula believes in you and your body, and wants you to feel whole, capable, and prepared. In the birth room, your doula will do what feels right given your relationship with one another and your desires for your birth. You may desire to be left undisturbed, and your doula will respect that. You may desire encouragement. In this case, your doula can speak softly to you, keeping you going until your baby is here. She may inspire you to move your body, try new positions, and get your partner involved. She may recommend physical stimulation by touch, sight, sound, or smell. She may encourage visualization, deep breathing, and using your vocals. She will also bring tools to help with pain relief, such as a birth ball or peanut ball, a massage gun, a wooden comb, and massage oils. She will likely be prepared for your initial postpartum period with teas, snacks, epsom salts and/or sitz bath herbs, and homeopathics. 

How do I choose a doula? 
Your connection with your doula is incredibly important. Think about it! You’re inviting this person to witness and support you in one of the most life-changing experiences you will ever have. You want to feel safe, comfortable, and understood in your doula’s presence. She is going to see you naked, she is going to witness your first moments with your child, she is going to throw in your dirty laundry. So you really want to find someone you trust AND genuinely like having around. It’s always a good idea to meet with a handful of options until you find a strong connection. 

What else do homebirth doulas do? 
Your doula a pillar of your support system – so ask yourself, what do you need? Doulas are master networkers and can connect you to like-minded practitioners near you. She can provide a directory of chiropractors, pediatricians, midwives, energetic healers (think Reiki, craniosacral therapy), massage therapists, lactation consultants, baby sleep experts, and more. Doulas will often prepare a meal or two for your postpartum recovery. A doula can help you prepare your birth space for the big day, and provide suggestions of how to arrange things for ease of movement. If you’re feeling unsure or anxious about your pregnancy or upcoming birth, your doula will listen and provide feedback. Your doula help you transition to life as a parent, and help you integrate your birth story.

What does a homebirth doula bring to a birth? 
We all carry different things, but there are some essentials that many homebirth doulas carry, like a birth ball, essential oils, massage oil, a Rebozo or other tension scarf, epsom salts. In addition to these items, I also carry electrolyte packets to keep myself and the birthing mom hydrated, arnica pellets and cream, homeopathic labor and immediate postpartum support, herba tea, and perineal wash. 
What is the benefit of having a homebirth doula? 
According to AmericanPregnancy.org, women who hire a doula are less likely to use pain relief medications AND less likely to have c-sections. Other studied and proven benefits for moms who have doula care are listed on MarchOfDimes.org: shorter labor times, more positive childbirth experiences, increased likelihood of breastfeeding, less likely to experience birth complications, and much less likely to have a baby with low birthweight. What does it mean? You’re increasing your chances of having a happy, healthy pregnancy and newborn. And yet, the vast majority of people studied to give us these data are people who delivered their babies in the hospital. When it comes to homebirth, having a doula present is increasing your likelihood of staying at home and delivering at home. One of my biggest inspirations, Michel Odent, hopes that the “Doula Paradigm” will be a short-lived one. The goal of the homebirth doula is to guide families back to their roots, to help new parents understand that birthing is the most natural and instinctive process that our bodies undergo – and that that process is safe, and that that process can be undergone in the comfort and warmth of our own homes.

Tell me about your doula services: 
I am a homebirth labor and birth doula in Charlotte, North Carolina. I specialize in working with first-time moms. I meet with families and moms-to-be for a handful of prenatal appointments before the new baby is born, and I also visit again after the birth of the new baby to check in and listen to birth story processing. I also offer a beautiful and practical ceremonial ritual called The Closing of the Bones to postpartum moms, regardless of whether the baby was born 3 days ago, 3 years ago, or 30 years ago. I offer placenta keepsake artwork, and am excited to soon be offering placenta encapsulation services (stay tuned!). As a former personal chef, I am happy to prepare a meal or two for new families, too! I deeply respect the physiological process of birth and take inspiration from “the greats” like Sheila Kitzinger, Jane Hardwicke Collings, and Michel Odent. 

Conclusion
No matter where you decide to have your baby, you can have the support of a doula! Homebirth doula support is all about guiding you to your own intuition – keeping you in the flow of your birth experience, and teaching you the safety of the natural birth process. Choosing a homebirth will give you the same level of “insurance” as choosing a hospital birth, as you will be cared for by a certified homebirth midwife rather than a conventional OBGYN. You doula will provide emotional, informational, and physical support, in addition to other measures of comfort and care such as providing meals, teas, and teaching other self-care practices. You’ve got this, mama! 

What is homebirth? 
A homebirth is just that: the act of delivering your baby in your own home. You can have a homebirth if you own or rent your home, if you live in a townhome, or if you live in an apartment. Some people have homebirth with their parents or extended family present, while others prefer to keep it quiet with just themselves and their birth support team. 

Who attends a homebirth? What does care look like?
If you choose a homebirth, you can decide to work with certified nurse midwives, CNMs, or certified practicing midwives, CPMs. Others choose to have medically unassisted births, meaning that they deliver their baby in the presence of only their partner and family and/or doula. In the case of a homebirth with a midwife, you will have monthly prenatal visits with your midwife that typically last longer than visits with traditional OBGYNs – try an hour instead of the usual 15 minutes! You might discuss how you’re feeling physically and emotionally, nutrition, vaccines for you and baby if needed or wanted, your birth plan, etc. Your midwife can order blood work for you, just like an OBGYN, and can administer a gestational diabetes glucose tolerance test (such as Fresh Test) if you choose do so. She’ll check in on your thyroid, too, especially if you or your family has history of thyroid imbalance. Between 28 and 30 weeks, you may start to see your midwife biweekly. At around 36 or 37 weeks, you may choose to check in weekly with your midwife until the baby arrives. At your homebirth, your support team will typically consist of: your chosen midwife, a backup midwife or midwife’s assistant, a doula if you have chosen one, and your partner. You may have additional people present if you want to! 

What is the doula’s role in a homebirth? 
Most women choose a doula around 20 weeks gestation, but many start looking for a doula right away! Doulas typically meet with moms 2 or 3 times before the birth of the baby, and will also attend a home visit with the midwife around 37 or 38 weeks. Your doula will provide emotional support every step of the way of your pregnancy path, informational support for anything that you feel unsure of, and physical support during the labor and birth of your baby. Your doula may offer meditations, journal prompts, creative ideas for stress reduction and relaxation, and rites-of-passage such performing The Closing of the Bones during postpartum recovery. Doulas are trained professional with plenty of experience managing new and uncomfortable sensations that may arise during pregnancy and birth, and you can bet that your labor doula has some excellent strategies for relief that will work for you during the birth process. Typically labor & birth doulas will also check in on you and baby within a day or two after the birth to talk about your birth experience and make sure you are comfortable. Oftentimes doulas will prepare meals during this time, as well.

More

What can a doula offer during the birth process?
Many doulas are also mothers. One of the greatest gifts that a doula can offer to new moms is relatability and reassurance. I will always stand by this! Your doula believes in you and your body, and wants you to feel whole, capable, and prepared. In the birth room, your doula will do what feels right given your relationship with one another and your desires for your birth. You may desire to be left undisturbed, and your doula will respect that. You may desire encouragement. In this case, your doula can speak softly to you, keeping you going until your baby is here. She may inspire you to move your body, try new positions, and get your partner involved. She may recommend physical stimulation by touch, sight, sound, or smell. She may encourage visualization, deep breathing, and using your vocals. She will also bring tools to help with pain relief, such as a birth ball or peanut ball, a massage gun, a wooden comb, and massage oils. She will likely be prepared for your initial postpartum period with teas, snacks, epsom salts and/or sitz bath herbs, and homeopathics. 

How do I choose a doula? 
Your connection with your doula is incredibly important. Think about it! You’re inviting this person to witness and support you in one of the most life-changing experiences you will ever have. You want to feel safe, comfortable, and understood in your doula’s presence. She is going to see you naked, she is going to witness your first moments with your child, she is going to throw in your dirty laundry. So you really want to find someone you trust AND genuinely like having around. It’s always a good idea to meet with a handful of options until you find a strong connection. 

What else do homebirth doulas do? 
Your doula a pillar of your support system – so ask yourself, what do you need? Doulas are master networkers and can connect you to like-minded practitioners near you. She can provide a directory of chiropractors, pediatricians, midwives, energetic healers (think Reiki, craniosacral therapy), massage therapists, lactation consultants, baby sleep experts, and more. Doulas will often prepare a meal or two for your postpartum recovery. A doula can help you prepare your birth space for the big day, and provide suggestions of how to arrange things for ease of movement. If you’re feeling unsure or anxious about your pregnancy or upcoming birth, your doula will listen and provide feedback. Your doula help you transition to life as a parent, and help you integrate your birth story.

What does a homebirth doula bring to a birth? 
We all carry different things, but there are some essentials that many homebirth doulas carry, like a birth ball, essential oils, massage oil, a Rebozo or other tension scarf, epsom salts. In addition to these items, I also carry electrolyte packets to keep myself and the birthing mom hydrated, arnica pellets and cream, homeopathic labor and immediate postpartum support, herba tea, and perineal wash. 

Last

More

What is the benefit of having a homebirth doula? 
According to AmericanPregnancy.org, women who hire a doula are less likely to use pain relief medications AND less likely to have c-sections. Other studied and proven benefits for moms who have doula care are listed on MarchOfDimes.org: shorter labor times, more positive childbirth experiences, increased likelihood of breastfeeding, less likely to experience birth complications, and much less likely to have a baby with low birthweight. What does it mean? You’re increasing your chances of having a happy, healthy pregnancy and newborn. And yet, the vast majority of people studied to give us these data are people who delivered their babies in the hospital. When it comes to homebirth, having a doula present is increasing your likelihood of staying at home and delivering at home. One of my biggest inspirations, Michel Odent, hopes that the “Doula Paradigm” will be a short-lived one. The goal of the homebirth doula is to guide families back to their roots, to help new parents understand that birthing is the most natural and instinctive process that our bodies undergo – and that that process is safe, and that that process can be undergone in the comfort and warmth of our own homes.

Tell me about your doula services: 
I am a homebirth labor and birth doula in Charlotte, North Carolina. I specialize in working with first-time moms. I meet with families and moms-to-be for a handful of prenatal appointments before the new baby is born, and I also visit again after the birth of the new baby to check in and listen to birth story processing. I also offer a beautiful and practical ceremonial ritual called The Closing of the Bones to postpartum moms, regardless of whether the baby was born 3 days ago, 3 years ago, or 30 years ago. I offer placenta keepsake artwork, and am excited to soon be offering placenta encapsulation services (stay tuned!). As a former personal chef, I am happy to prepare a meal or two for new families, too! I deeply respect the physiological process of birth and take inspiration from “the greats” like Sheila Kitzinger, Jane Hardwicke Collings, and Michel Odent. 

Conclusion
No matter where you decide to have your baby, you can have the support of a doula! Homebirth doula support is all about guiding you to your own intuition – keeping you in the flow of your birth experience, and teaching you the safety of the natural birth process. Choosing a homebirth will give you the same level of “insurance” as choosing a hospital birth, as you will be cared for by a certified homebirth midwife rather than a conventional OBGYN. You doula will provide emotional, informational, and physical support, in addition to other measures of comfort and care such as providing meals, teas, and teaching other self-care practices. You’ve got this, mama! 

Last

FAM FAQs

FAM FAQs

What is the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM)? 
Fertility Awareness-Based Methods (FABMs) is the umbrella term, underneath which falls all of the methods that you may have heard of, from apps like Natural Cycles to FSH and LH testing strips like ClearBlue Fertility Monitor. There are FABMs that involve observing your cervical fluid only, like the Billings Method. Other methods involve calculations only, like the outdated Rhythm Method. 

FAM, however, refers to a sympto-thermal method which uses cervical fluid observation (sympto) and daily waking temperatures (thermal) to determine fertility on a DAILY BASIS, so the user can make an informed decision about whether or not to have unprotected sex on any given day. The method is described in incredible detail in Toni Weschler’s book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Her method is what most people are referring to when they are talking about FAM. Other sympto-thermal methods are Justisse, The Well (Cycle Mapping), and Sensiplan (which has an option to add a calculation). 

If you’re interested in FAM, I recommend beginning with Toni Weshler’s book. Other great recommendations are: Garden of Fertility by Katie Singer, and Your Fertility Signs by Merryl Winstein. An introduction for younger girls includes: Cycle Savvy, by Toni Weschlery, and Your Moontime Magic, by Maureen Theresa Smith.

What can you do with FAM? 
Well, FAM users have several options! If you’re trying to avoid pregnancy and don’t want to use synthetic hormones to do it, enter FAM for 100% non-hormonal birth control. If you want to conceive and don’t know where to begin, again, enter FAM for conception. Finally, if you want to reconnect to the wisdom of your body, align yourself with the cycles of your hormones, and/or gauge your endocrine and overall health, enter FAM for wellness.

Can anyone use FAM? 
Yes! Anyone can use FAM. You can still use FAM if you have PCOS, irregular cycles, are just ditching hormonal birth control (HBC), are entering perimenopause, or if you are postpartum. Because FAM is about using biodata to gauge your fertility on a DAILY BASIS, anyone can use it. We aren’t trying to predict anything. Forget everything you’ve learned about predicting your future cycles based on your previous ones! 

Is FAM accessible? What financial commitment is involved? 
FAM is accessible for most people, yes. The most affordable option is to pick up a used copy of Taking Charge of Your Fertility and learn Toni’s method from the book. We are talking a commitment of maybe $10 and some time and effort on your part. To level up your practice, you might consider working with a certified fertility awareness educator (FAE). A certified FAE will have graduated from an Association of Fertility Awareness Professionals (AFAP) accredited training program, and will teach group classes, one-on-ones, and/or offer recorded lectures for your to learn along with. Although you will pay your FAE per session or per class, the investment will be well worth it as you will get a more hands-on education.

What programs are accredited by the AFAP? 
There are only a few, but they include: Justisse, The Well School of Body Literacy, and Eden Fertilité (in French). 

What does a certified Fertility Awareness Educator (FAE) do? 
In addition to teaching your their chosen method, A certified FAE will also be able to look at your charting practice with a diagnostic lens, and offer recommendations of how to speak to your healthcare provider. Your FAE will be able to offer basic wellness support with lifestyle interventions, nutrition, sleep health, and more. Some FAEs have specialities like PCOS/MRS, endometriosis, trying-to-conceive, etc. Some further their education and become herbalists or Nutritional Therapy Practitioners to complement their practice. 

How do I choose an FAE who is right for me? 
(1) You will be able to find plenty of FAEs who can see you virtually, and probably fewer who may be local and can work with you in person. First decide if you prefer to see someone face-to-face. (2) You will find that different teachers use different methods. If you prefer to use a method that involves hormone tracking, such as the Marquette Model, then you will want to find someone who specializes in that method. If you prefer to ONLY observe cervical fluid, you may be more interested in someone who teachers Billings or Creighton Methods. If you are more interested in sympto-thermal methods, you will want to find a teacher who graduated from The Well or Justisse. (4) From there, it’s all about connection. Does this person seem competent? Do you feel good when you are interacting with them? It is best to, first and foremost, choose someone you like! 
What is the advantage of using a sympto-thermal method, like Cycle Mapping or Taking Charge of Your Fertility? 
There are so many great benefits to using a sympto-thermal method! Firstly, it’s super accessible for most people. Once you know how to use the method, it is practically free to print off charts to track your fertility signs. Secondly, using a sympto-thermal method can give you plenty peace of mind if you are avoiding pregnancy – there are concrete rules to follow to properly avoid getting pregnant, and there is a sure-fire way to confirm that ovulation as occurred. Thirdly, getting to know your fertility signs is an excellent way to build connection to your body and its cycles. It creates a deeper sense of intimacy with your body, spirit, and menstrual cycle – oftentimes resulting in a greater appreciation for menstrual periods, big feelings, and aches and pains. Some users even result in relief from aches and pains after tuning into their cycles. Finally, data from your charts can give you hard evidence to present to your doctor if you feel like something is “wrong.” We can often HELP our practitioners help us when we can show them the data, which makes for a quicker diagnosis and a much more efficient and effective care plan! 

Is FAM effective as a contraceptive? Does it work? 
The Guttmacher Institute reports that with perfect use, studies show that sympto-thermal FAMs like Sensiplan are about 99.6% effective, and with typical use they are about 97% effective – that’s more effective than using a condom. Again, don’t rely on the outdated Rhythm Method. 

Can I use an app to help track my data? Do FAEs work with apps? 
Yes, typically they do! We often recommend that you can use an app like Read Your Body, which offers a free trial for 30 days. After that, it is either $2.69 per month, or about $21.00 for the year. Read Your Body will NEVER sell your personal health data, but be careful...because other apps will. A certified FAE will be able to work with you if you choose to use an app like RYB. In fact, RYB even has a template to use charts from The Well School of Body Literacy! 
Key Take-Aways: 

    • Fertility Awareness-Based Methods (FABMs) refers to the umbrella term that houses all hormone-free methods of birth control that involve observing fertility signs. 

    • Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) refers to a sympto-thermal method which uses cervical fluid observation (sympto) and daily waking temperatures (thermal) to determine fertility on a DAILY BASIS, so the user can make an informed decision about whether or not to have unprotected sex on any given day. Oftentimes, refer to Toni Weschler’s book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility.

    • Anyone, regardless of cycle regularity, can use FABMs! 

    • A certified Fertility Awareness Educator, FAE, can teach you FAM. Choose someone who teaches a method that resonates with you! 

    • According to the Guttmacher Institute, sympto-thermal FAMs like Sensiplan are 99.6% effective with perfect use, and about 97% effective with regular use. 

    • FAEs recommend the Read Your Body (RYB) app if you want to keep your data digital. RYB will NEVER sell your private health data, unlike other fertility apps out there. 

    • Julie Lisak is a FAE in training with The Well School of Body Literacy. She will be serving fertility awareness clients in 2025, so stay tuned. She is currently a homebirth labor doula in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Check Back Soon For My List of FAM FAQs! 

Contact Me

Follow Along on Instagram

Contact Me

Follow Me on IG 

get in touch with me

Get in touch with me

REACH OUT

If you're interested in collaborating, please send me your name and email, and I will get in touch with you ASAP. Thank you for your patience, as this is done manually.

Thank you for contacting me!
You will hear a personal response from me within 2 business days. You may also feel free to email me at julielisak@outlook.com

Let's talk about your birth, your cycle, and your sexual health