Doula Network of Fort Wayne

Kristin Rahn, Trained Birth Doula

 Passionate birth advocate, mother of four (two hospital births, two home births), community volunteer, and Trained Doula pursuing DONA certification, I am here to serve women in their individual journey through birth and will move heaven and earth to help you advocate for the informed, empowered birth experience you desire.  Sometimes I guide, more often I follow, sometimes I simply guard the birth space.  The women I’m honored to serve are powerful, inspiring, and truly magnificent.  I believe in them, and I believe in you.  I look forward to walking beside you for a while.

 

I live in NE Fort Wayne, 10-15 minutes from Parkview Main, Parkview North, and Dupont hospitals.  My service package includes at least one prenatal visit in your home beyond the initial meet-and-greet, continuous labor support for you and your family from as early in the process as you’re comfortable with until several hours after the birth, at least one postpartum visit, extensive knowledge of local professional pregnancy/birth/postpartum resources, and ongoing phone and e-mail support.  Feel free to drop me a line; let’s start talking birth!

 

Kristin Rahn, TD 

(260) 492-0316

kwildflowr@verizon.net

 

Leah Mosher, Trained Birth Doula

I have always been intrigued by the process of creation and childbirth.  During my first pregnancy I knew I had always wanted to be able to have a natural childbirth without interventions, however, everyone seemed to try to scare me out of the decision I really wanted to make.  I had succumbed to the idea that I would probably use some pain relief intervention.  Just a month before delivery, a friend took me to see the screening of The Business of Being Born.  I walked out of that movie theater feeling more empowered than ever and I knew I could have the birth experience I had always hoped for.  

Just a few short weeks before my due date, I hired a doula and started the process.  I am so thankful to my doula who helped me allow myself to experience the most memorable and empowering experience of my lifetime.  Since that day(s) (I had a very long labor) I have been inspired to help other women achieve the experience they hope to have, how ever that may look. 

A little more than a year and a half after the birth of my daughter, I decided to leave my job and pursue a Doula Certification through DONA International.  Today, I am a DONA Trained Doula working toward my certification expected in 2010.

 

Leah Mosher, TD(DONA)

Empower Doula Care

260-348-2688

Leah@ianandleah.com

 

Mary Sonne Lybarger, Postpartum Doula

Currently I am a fulltime student at IPFW.  I plan on graduating in December 2009 with a Bachelor of General Studies.  Then, in 2010, I am excited to be available to serve full-time as a postpartum doula. 

I grew up a country girl in Avilla, Indiana on my family homestead.  Now I live the city life in my home in Fort Wayne.  I love to garden and walk my dog. 

Becoming a doula is my calling.  I have loved newborns since my oldest nephew was placed on my lap at the age of six.  I was ten when my brother Hal was born.  I wanted to change his cloth diapers, feed him, sooth and play with him, and so my mother showed me how.  More recently friends of mine have become parents and I have had the joy of sharing time with their new families, aiding them in the adjustment to having a newborn in their home.  I have also worked as a nanny, beginning when the baby was two months old until he was two years old.

 

Contact Information:

Phone:  260-349-8680
Email:  sunshinedoulacare@gmail.com

Brooke Friedberg, Certified Birth Doula (DONA International)

With my first daughter, I had an almost perfect pregnancy and so I thought labor would be really easy too. It turned out a lot different than I thought. I had 24 hours of labor which ended up in a c-section. This was really upsetting for me and so when I got pregnant again I was determined to have a VBAC(vaginal birth after cesarian). I knew I was up against a lot — so I did everything I could to become prepared to deliver this baby naturally. I read extensively, did tons of research, attended support meetings, and, at the recommendation of a friend, I hired a doula.  Thankfully, I achieved the VBAC and in the process, saw how valuable a doula really is.

Through the course of my research as well as during my birth experience, I realized what a truly valuable resource a doula was. I wanted to make it possible for other women to experience the same care, satisfaction, and joy with their birth experience that I felt during my own. I felt a new passion to improve other women’s birth experiences the way mine was. I trained in Chicago, attended serveral births there and obtained certification with DONA International.

I’m so excited to be in Warsaw now , serving and advocating for the women here — because I know they deserve it!

Brooke spends most every single day with her three children. The four enjoy playing on the swingset, drinking coffee, telling jokes, and playing with the hose.

Website: www.compassionatedoulacare.com

Hallie Greider, Certified Birth Doula (DONA International), Certified Childbirth Educator

I am certified as a childbirth educator through Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York (CEA/MNY) and as a labor support doula through Doulas of North America (DONA ).

Since 2001 I have been fortunate to help educate and support women and their partners during their personal journeys towards parenthood in NYC.  It’s my hope that through working with other birthing families in Fort Wayne I can help them have similarly life-changing experiences as well.

In July of 2007 I moved back to my hometown of Fort Wayne along with my husband and our four children.  My hope is to open a free-standing childbirth education center where parents and families can come during pregnancy and long beyond to find the support needed.  Birth Matters, a family education center, was born in the fall of 2007 and we are thrilled with the interest and support in Fort Wayne! 

Websites: 

www.halliegreider.com

www.birthmatters.com

Email: hallie@birthmatters.com

Phone:       260.415.1176   

Kat Hickey CD(DONA): Birth Doula

Personal:  My desire to attend women in birth began after the birth of my first child. I knew, instinctively, that I could have avoided much of the intervention and disappointment if I had support and encouragement in labor. After the beautiful and intervention-free birth of my second child in 1999, I was inspired to begin my training to become a doula. I trained with BirthWorks as a labor support doula and childbirth educator in June of 2000.  I also founded birthNETWORK of Northeast Ohio, a non-profit organization helping women seeking a safe and satisfying childbirth experience. My husband's job brought us to Fort Wayne in June, 2005. I took a break from attending births to give birth to our fourth and final baby in June, 2006. 

In July of 2007, I participated in a DONA-approved birth doula training with Penny Simkin and Kathy McGrath and I am certified through DONA International. I am thrilled to be attending births in the Fort Wayne area. My family and I live just minutes from Dupont Hospital and the Parkview Family Birthing Center.

Professional: I see my job as a doula as being three-fold,  First, to make sure that families have the information and support they need to make decisions during the childbearing year.  Second, to provide physical support: massage, position change, and other techniques to help labor progress smoothly.  Finally, to protect the birthing family – to hold the sacred space around them so they feel confident and comfortable. 

I have experience with all types of births, in all types of settings with all types of care providers.  Every pregnant family deserves to have a doula – the person whose only concern is the satisfaction of the laboring mom and her partner. 

Services Offered: 

• Detailed list of Birth Companionship (labor support) Services
• Pregnancy, Birth and Newborn Photography 
• Babywearing Instructor/Distributor 
  
• Breastfeeding help and troubleshooting 
• Pregnancy Nutrition Counseling 
• Blessingway Planning 
• Reiki Treatment 

Testimonials

Contact Kat at kathickey@me.com or 260.437.8094.

 

 

Ryanne Kees: Postpartum Doula

I am a full-time wife and mother of two young boys.  I grew up in Ossian, Indiana and graduated from Norwell High School in 1996.  I obtained my Associate Degree in Science and became a Certified Medical Assistant through International Business College in 1997.  After graduation I worked for Meijer Pharmacy for 9 ½ years as a Pharmacy Technician.  I decided to follow my dream full-time in April 2006 and resigned from Meijer.  Now my dream is coming true as I help families adjust, cope and thrive as they grow.

My own experiences with my two boys were varied.  I learned a lot after my first son was born about the importance of getting support early and often in the first few months.  I did not get much support and my experience was hectic and nerve-racking.  The arrival of my second son was a much more relaxed and soothing experience.  My husband was deployed six weeks after the birth, but I was able to get the support I needed. With this support, I became empowered even more to care for my newborn and toddler on my own.

260-657-1043

blessedbeg@yahoo.com

Shelly Gilliland: Trained Birth Doula

My role as a doula is to create a safe, positive atmosphere for giving birth and to assist in the process by providing emotional support and a variety of other comfort measures.  My services include face-to-face meetings during pregnancy, continual support during labor and birth, and a minimum of one post-partum visit. 

My goal is to serve as many birthing women and their spouse or partner as I can.  I have been a trained birth doula since 2003, and I am pleased to have attended the births of my four grandchildren as well as many others.  References upon request.

Serving women in Warsaw, Fort Wayne, and the surrounding areas. 

 

Read about Shelly in an article written by a past client. 

You can contact Shelly at:

574-594-5820 (home)

574-453-7453 (cell)

sgilliland@mchsi.com

Jordan Saalfrank: Certified Birth Doula

 

Childbirth Education &
Imagine Doula Services

 

I began doula certification through Doulas of North America (DONA International) in May of 2003 after the birth of my second child, certified in 2005 and recertified in 2008.  I have begun the certification process to become a childbirth instructor with International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) and look forward to completing it within the next year. 

In July of 2006 I founded the Doula Network of Fort Wayne with a mission to supply evidence-based childbirth and postpartum information to growing families and care providers through a public website and community-based fairs.  My goal is to make sure that Fort Wayne women have the opportunity to make their own personal choices for birth and feel supported throughout the process of becoming a parent. 

My sister, Hallie Greider, and I founded Birth Matters in 2007 which is a free-standing childbirth education center in Fort Wayne.  Birth Matters offers families education and support from before birth throughout the growth of children.  Families who take their classes through Birth Matters receive $100.00 off my doula services.  I am so excited to begin a new chapter of teaching childbirth education and walking with families through the possibilities. 

Birth Doula Service Information

MISSION 

SERVICES 

CONTACT

TESTIMONIALS

Jordan lives with her husband, three sons and daughter on the north side of Fort Wayne across from Dupont Hospital and down the street from Parkview North.  Please contact Jordan for a free meet & greet where you will have the opportunity to explore the option of hiring a doula and utilize her resources for general birth information.

Jordan offers a $100.00 discount off birth doula services to families who take Childbirth Education classes through Birth Matters.  For class information, to register or view the extensive resource links, visit:  www.birthmatters.com   

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