In-Person
Birth & Postpartum Doula Care
Choose from:
Birth Doula Services
Postpartum Doula Services
Bundle Both Services
Full-service care including birth planning, in-person labor support, Ayurvedic meals, Abhyanga and Womb massage, movement for birth and recovery, herbal baths, and restorative home support.
ABOUT
I’m Lauren Shields - a yogic and Ayurvedic full spectrum doula and mother of three.
I’ve supported hundreds of families as a birth and postpartum doula and taught prenatal and postpartum yoga since 2016.
I created Intentionally Embodied Birth because I’ve lived the experience of feeling disconnected to my body and my knowing during the pregnancy and postpartum transition. I’ve also learned how different it can feel when you’re grounded, supported, and present with yourself on your journey.
My care is based in yoga and Ayurvedic traditions and infused with my own personal touch. Your care is intentional, personalized, and designed to support you and your growing family every step of the way.
Birth Doula Care
I approach birth from the belief that YOU are the expert, and I am the facilitator. There is no right way to birth, only opportunity for every mother/parent to find her voice and use it. You care is specialized to your needs wherever you choose to birth, however you choose to birth. My practice is meditative, and I invite you in to be present on this journey, whether that be with you joy or discomfort.
*Unlimited text and phone support in included throughout care.
Prenatal Visits
Birth Planning: In this session, I will meet with you and your partner in your home to get to know you, learn your preferences, role play navigating challenges, address your specific fears and concerns, and develop your birth plan. We’ll briefly talk through postpartum planning as well, including older siblings and pet care.
Couples Energy Session: This session is a moment to reconnect emotionally and energetically as a couple before moving into the birth portal. We’ll practice meditative relaxation techniques for birth and postpartum, hip squeezes, sacral pressure, labor positions, and move through any stagnant energy to get you feeling excited and confident for your birth. This session ends with tantra yoga practice of building oxytocin and flowing through your energy as a couple.
Labor Support
At 38 weeks, I will go on call for your birth. If you happen to go into labor early, I will attend your birth just the same.
I provided text and phone support until you get to your birth location, or you are in active labor.
Once in-person, I assist with creating a safe, peaceful environment with lighting, music, and aromatherapy.
I offer assistance with pacing the birth, changing positions, making decisions, and support your partner to support you.
I offer comfort measures including, but not limited to nurturing touch, hands on maneuvers, rebozo work, aromatherapy, guided meditation and breath work, heat and cold packs, encouragement.
My job is to help you to feel protected, heard, supported, grounded, and confident so you can bring your sweet baby home.
Postpartum Visit
After birth, I will stay with you up to two hours to reorganize your birth space, ensure you are fed, and assist with baby’s first latch.
Once you are home, I will text/call you to set up a time during the first week after your birth.
This visit is personalized and guided by your specific needs which may include breastfeeding support, organization, birth story listening/processing, preparing herbal sitz bath, supporting baby’s first bath, and more.
This visit lasts 60-90 minutes. If you would like more postpartum support, I encourage you to explore my postpartum doula care options below.
The full cost of birth doula services is $2100, with a non-refundable 50% balance due at booking.
Families who book both birth and postpartum doula services receive $250 one-time discount towards fees.
*You have the option to book only birth doula services or bundle to combine with postpartum doula services. We can talk through your options and prices during your consultation.
Postpartum Doula Care
Postpartum is a sacred time of recovery and replenishing the body. Many Eastern traditions believe that a women’s life can be extended and enhanced with propre care during the postpartum period. My postpartum doula services are rooted in yogic and Ayurvedic practices including diet, herbal support, and grounding into the body.
I cook nourishing meals and guide you through body care rituals. I show up with tools and practices that center you, not only as a new mother, but as a whole person moving through the sacred transition and transformation that is postpartum.
If you’re preparing for postpartum and want care that is intentional, not rush, calm, and rooted in tradition, I’d be honored to support you.
Families who book both birth and postpartum doula services receive $250 one-time discount towards fees.
Diet and Nourishment
Meals, snacks, and beverages that support lactation and rebuilding your body. All nourishment is informed and rooted in Ayurvedic guidance.
Each day, I bring two meals, teas, and snacks specifically for what your body needs week to week.
Postnatal Herbs
Excessive Vata energy is common in the postpartum period, and I use specific herbal blends to assist in balancing and grounding your energy. Herbal teas, herbal balls for body work, and herbal sitz baths for perineal healing.
Womb Massage + Abhyanga Massage
Applying oil to the body, especially through these ancient practices, brings connection and healing to the body, as well as creating a beautiful experience for the mother. Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic practice that I will provide oil for teach you how to practice on the days I’m not there. Womb massage to an ancient practice of gentling warming the womb space, bringing energy back to the core and releasing energy from birth.
Movement for Recovery
You don’t have to wait six weeks to bring movement back into your body. My post birth movement progression is rooted in Pilates fundamentals, yoga asana, breath work, and informed by physical therapy exercises for pelvic floor recovery.
*You have the option to book only postpartum doula services or bundle to combine with birth doula services. We can talk through your options and prices during your consultation.
What’s included:
3-5 days/week of care that includes:
2 daily Ayurvedic meals, snacks and herbal teas
womb massage and warm oil application
grocery shopping for all pantry and perishable items (client pays for groceries)
postnatal bath blends and herbal sitz bath set up
gentle movement and breath work
unlimited text message support
What your care will look like:
Everyone has different needs, so each service is catered to each client, and their needs.
Two-hour Prenatal Planning session to learn you, your family, your needs and your home.
Call or text when you start to labor, so I can start prepping and cooking
3-5 days/week, 4-hour sessions
During your In-home Sessions:
Check-In: when I arrive, I prepare herbal tea and a snack, then sit with my client to hear about the last 12-24 hours. I ask how she’s feeling, the last time she ate, and how feeding is going. We talk through any challenges, her heavier feelings as well as celebrating the small victories.
Energy & Space Reset: while my client takes an herbal sitz bath and shower, I take baby and refresh her space. New bed linens, restocking supplies, cleaning up dirty clothes, dishes, and trash, and putting on a fresh diffuser if essential oils.
Baby Care and Feeding: next, we focus on baby care like checking latch, trying new feeding position, or pumping. This may even include supporting a baby bath, practice swaddling, or just connecting with baby. Once mom and baby are set, I get back to the kitchen to start her next meal.
Movement & Breath Work: it’s now time to focus on giving the body gentle stretches and exercises that tone the core and pelvic floor. Each movement is built on breath to fully integrate and restore the core in a functional way. This is to ground the mother and bring back her sense of self.
Womb Massage: using warm oils and steamed herbs, I’ll give you a gentle and restorative womb massage that brings warmth back to your center. It helps her organs to find their way back to their original space. If you have a surgical birth incision, we work with the hands, feet and scalp until it’s healed.
The Investment:
foundational care: $910
2-hour planning session during pregnancy
12 postpartum hours for the first week post birth (three sessions, four hours each)
includes all meals, snacks, teas, herbal sitz bath, and warming oil
warming + grounding care: $1630
2-hour planning session during pregnancy
12 postpartum hours for the first week post birth (three sessions, four hours each)
12 postpartum hours for first or second week (three sessions, four hours each)
includes all meals, snacks, teas, herbal sitz bath, and warming oil
held: $2350
2-hour planning session during pregnancy
12 postpartum hours for the first week post birth (three sessions, four hours each)
24 postpartum hours for any time up to 12 weeks postpartum (three sessions, four hours each)
includes all meals, snacks, teas, herbal sitz bath, and warming oil
ADD ON:
CLOSING OF THE BONES CEREMONY
This ancient ceremony signifies the closure of the birth portal, and creates space to release grief, joy, and acceptance for your journey.
Ceremony starts with a warm womb massage with herbs and oil, then moves into passive stretching and movement to resent the bones, finally we use seven scarfs to tie up and close your body from toes to your head. You’ll receive reiki energy healing and presence to music as you sit in the closure. After opening back up, you’ll sit with warm ceremonial cacao surrounded with love.
Special Price for Postpartum Doula Clients: $250
BOOK A CONSULTATION
Schedule a 30-minute call to discuss your needs and learn more about the services.
Client Reviews
“Their attention to detail and commitment to quality truly stood out. We’ve already recommended them to others.”
— Former Customer“Communication was top-notch and the final outcome was even better than we imagined. A great experience all around.”
— Former Customer“Every detail was thoughtfully executed. We're thrilled with the outcome.”
— Former Customer