Birth Services

I am a mother of two. I have five years teaching experience in the public schools. I became interested in childbirth after the birth of my daughter in August 2006. I wanted to help other women and their partners have the type of experience they felt good about. I began my path towards my birth doula certification through Doulas of North America (DONA) in March 2007. I attended DONA birth doula training in January 2008, where I learned more about comfort techniques, laboring and birthing positions, and how to help a mother and her partner during her birth experience. I see birth as a natural process, one that doesn’t require unnecessary interventions. I also believe that an expectant mother should prepare for the labor and birth of her child through several ways: eating well, exercising, reading books supportive of intervention-free birthing, practicing her relaxation techniques (visualization, breathing, stretching, massage, etc), and practicing her laboring and birthing positions (squatting, hands and knees, lunging, etc). I do believe there are circumstances beyond our control that warrant intervention, and in order to be prepared for these unlikely happenings, it is proactive to be educated about the options available.

Accepting homebirth midwife clients as of Fall 2009- contact me for more information.

My name is Anna Haag and I’m a DONA-trained postpartum doula. I graduated with honors from Indiana University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, and I’ve been working with families, infants, and children for several years. My experience as a doula has included work with first, second, and third-time mamas, as well as families with twins and with premature babies. In addition to my work as a postpartum doula, I teach postpartum classes and workshops at Bloomington Area Birth Services and write for the BABS Blog. I absolutely love my work, and feel so lucky to be doing something that fulfills me and serves others. Services OfferedPrior to your baby’s arrival, I can provide support with:- baby-related shopping and preparation of the home- assistance in creating a postpartum plan- care of an expectant mother who is on bed restAfter your baby is born, I can provide support by:- coming to the hospital or to your home to provide care and support after your birth doula goes home- accompanying you as you become more confident about taking your baby out of the house- coming to your home to assist with any of the areas of care* provided by postpartum doulas As your baby grows, I am also available to::- help you to find resources related to a wide range of parenting topics- assist you as you prepare to baby-proof your home* Services will benefit not only mother and baby, but all members of the family. Services commonly provided include: – emotional support and simply being there to listen with an open mind – education and guidance in all areas of newborn care, including common breastfeeding and bottle-feeding questions – care of the newborn and/or older siblings that allows mom to nap, shower, take a walk, etc. – assistance in keeping up with the household, such as laundry and kitchen tasks – in some cases, overnight support may be available

SERVICES: I am a DONA trained birth doula, certified lactation specialist and childbirth educator. I provide private and small group childbirth education for individuals in the Bloomington Area. I offer professional birth doula support to women in South and Central Indiana with lactation support immediately following birth and the days and weeks to follow. Please contact me for a detailed description of my work. PHILOSOPHY: Our society and economy have morphed pregnancy, childbirth and parenting into complex, stressful experiences full of rules and unrealistic expectations, many of which deny or ignore the natural unfolding of things. As your childbirth educator I can help to make this journey much smoother with information, support and resources. I understand that for a wide variety of reasons, women need to or choose to have medicated childbirth. On the whole, however, I believe that birth is a natural, life-changing accomplishment. This is not to say that it is an easy journey– childbirth is hard work! And this is where my expertise as a birth professional is so valuable. Research supports the value of birth doulas in terms of lower intervention rates, shorter births, lower cesarean and instrumental births as well as higher satisfaction rates and a sense of control among the women who are supported by doulas (Hodnett, et al 2007). BACKGROUND: I have lived in Bloomington since 2008 when my husband and I moved here to settle down after studying abroad. I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Family Studies and a BA in Spanish Studies. SOURCE: Hodnett ED, Gates S, Hofmeyr G J, Sakala C. (2007). Continuous support for women during childbirth. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Art. No.: CD003766 (3).

Bloomington Family Wellness is your premier location for massage therapy, doula support, placenta encapsulation, and education services.