Birth Doula
Birth doulas have been shown to improve pregnancy and birth outcomes for birthing persons and babies including reducing unnecessary surgical birth and higher apgar scores for baby after birth. These are just a couple of examples. Essentially, a birth doula is your informational, physical and emotional support person throughout pregnancy and childbirth.
Birth doula packages include the following:
Schedule a free call to discuss which package is right for you.
- 1-4 prenatal visits to connect, build your birth plan, and prepare you for birth. I come to your home!
- Me at your birth providing pain reduction, advocating, and generally supporting you through the birth process. I often come to peoples homes if they are choosing to labor as long as they can at home!
- 1 postpartum check-in visit to make sure you go into parenthood with the information and support you need.
- You can now choose to have a seasoned photographer at your birth in addition to your doula.
Schedule a free call to discuss which package is right for you.
Package Options
Basic: This package is best for someone who isn't looking for a lot of support during pregnancy. Many folks who have previously given birth choose this package.
- 1 Prenatal visit
- Me at your birth
- 1 Postpartum visit
Standard: This package is best for first time parents or if you are wanting a totally different birth experience from your last one. We go deep into birth prep and creating a birth plan.
- 4 Prenatal visits that include nutrition, lifestyle, movement and birth plan coaching along with help for your partner on how they can best be involved in the birth process.
- Me at your birth helping with pain relief, advocacy and emotional support.
- 1 Postpartum visit where we can talk about your baby's birth, I can help with breastfeeding and baby care questions as well as your healing.
Birth Doula & Photographer: Add an experienced photographer to either of the above packages
- Basic + Photographer
- Standard + Photographer
- Either package gets a minimum of 100 edited images in addition to birth doula services
- Provided by an additional person so that no moment is missed and your doula can focus on her roll supporting you
Reviews
"Megan is a very calming presence! She is a great adjunct and support with special techniques to help if you are thinking about a nature birth. Definitely recommend. Plus she was able to take some beautiful photos from labor and right after that I would not have had without her." -katie corwin
"Having Megan as a doula was an incredible experience!! Finding her was such a blessing as she lived in the same town as I do! But more than proximity she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the connection, needs, development, and so much MORE around mom and baby. She gave me so many useful tools and amazing support for our homebirth and I am forever grateful! PLUS, she offered services around encapsulating my placenta and making my umbilical cord into a keepsake, that I will literally cherish forever ??
I would recommend Megan to anyone looking for additional support and more education around birth and labor - she is your girl!" -Hillary Ebert
"Megan was the absolute best fit for us during our pregnancy and birth experience. She was so knowledgeable and supportive from our first meeting, all the way through to our successful home birth. She made sure we were comfy, prepared and informed through all phases. I remember being in the peak of my contractions and labor, hearing her soothing but confident voice, keeping me on track and helping me focus on my breathing and reminding me to rest in between. It was super peaceful to have a guide right there, holding my hand and making sure I stayed hydrated. My husband and I will always and forever recommend Megan and Birth Your Way to be a part of your birth journey." -Erica Klaus
"This was my first baby and I had no idea what to expect. My friends and family all recommended I look into getting a doula so after researching and interviewing a few options, I happened upon Megan.
In our interview she was patient and understanding but also decisive, confident, and informative. She was the exact combination of compassionate and firm that I was searching for.
Megan came to our home multiple times during my pregnancy and hosted private classes for my husband and I reviewing everything from preparing for childbirth in the weeks and months leading up to it, day of childbirth prep, and postpartum care for myself and baby. She has a great sense of humor and beyond educational those sessions were also enjoyable.
Having Megan there the day of our baby’s birth was so comforting. She brought a lot of great tools with her and made the room cozy and comfortable both with calming lighting and her caring demeanor. She empowered my husband to support me in an effective way and she advocated for me and provided me with options when things became challenging or confusing.
I would highly recommend Megan to anyone whether it’s their first or eighth experience having a baby! -Felicia Joy
"Megan was an incredible addition to my birth team! When I first contacted her we were living out of state, planning our move to Ohio. She went out of her way to send me resources and help me find a midwife before I even hired her. The prenatal appointments were always very valuable. I loved that she offered additional services like reiki and massage. She came to my home, an hour away, and did a reiki/massage session which was very healing and relaxing! Megan came while I was still in early labor. As a first time mom, I didn't know what to expect. She helped me every step of the way, providing multiple levels of support - from essential oils to spinning babies & helping my husband set up the birth pool. She time my contractions for me, kept in contact with the midwives, provided me with suggestions of things to do, positions and breathing techniques. Megan provided positive support to relax and encouraged me that I could do it and that I could trust my body. She was an invaluable part of my support team and I will be forever grateful that she was here with me! -Jess C.
All of these reviews can be verified on my google business listing here.
"Having Megan as a doula was an incredible experience!! Finding her was such a blessing as she lived in the same town as I do! But more than proximity she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the connection, needs, development, and so much MORE around mom and baby. She gave me so many useful tools and amazing support for our homebirth and I am forever grateful! PLUS, she offered services around encapsulating my placenta and making my umbilical cord into a keepsake, that I will literally cherish forever ??
I would recommend Megan to anyone looking for additional support and more education around birth and labor - she is your girl!" -Hillary Ebert
"Megan was the absolute best fit for us during our pregnancy and birth experience. She was so knowledgeable and supportive from our first meeting, all the way through to our successful home birth. She made sure we were comfy, prepared and informed through all phases. I remember being in the peak of my contractions and labor, hearing her soothing but confident voice, keeping me on track and helping me focus on my breathing and reminding me to rest in between. It was super peaceful to have a guide right there, holding my hand and making sure I stayed hydrated. My husband and I will always and forever recommend Megan and Birth Your Way to be a part of your birth journey." -Erica Klaus
"This was my first baby and I had no idea what to expect. My friends and family all recommended I look into getting a doula so after researching and interviewing a few options, I happened upon Megan.
In our interview she was patient and understanding but also decisive, confident, and informative. She was the exact combination of compassionate and firm that I was searching for.
Megan came to our home multiple times during my pregnancy and hosted private classes for my husband and I reviewing everything from preparing for childbirth in the weeks and months leading up to it, day of childbirth prep, and postpartum care for myself and baby. She has a great sense of humor and beyond educational those sessions were also enjoyable.
Having Megan there the day of our baby’s birth was so comforting. She brought a lot of great tools with her and made the room cozy and comfortable both with calming lighting and her caring demeanor. She empowered my husband to support me in an effective way and she advocated for me and provided me with options when things became challenging or confusing.
I would highly recommend Megan to anyone whether it’s their first or eighth experience having a baby! -Felicia Joy
"Megan was an incredible addition to my birth team! When I first contacted her we were living out of state, planning our move to Ohio. She went out of her way to send me resources and help me find a midwife before I even hired her. The prenatal appointments were always very valuable. I loved that she offered additional services like reiki and massage. She came to my home, an hour away, and did a reiki/massage session which was very healing and relaxing! Megan came while I was still in early labor. As a first time mom, I didn't know what to expect. She helped me every step of the way, providing multiple levels of support - from essential oils to spinning babies & helping my husband set up the birth pool. She time my contractions for me, kept in contact with the midwives, provided me with suggestions of things to do, positions and breathing techniques. Megan provided positive support to relax and encouraged me that I could do it and that I could trust my body. She was an invaluable part of my support team and I will be forever grateful that she was here with me! -Jess C.
All of these reviews can be verified on my google business listing here.
What is a Doula?
In general, a doula is someone who provides emotional, informational, and physical support during pregnancy, labor and birth. At Birth Your Way, we provide these services through a trauma informed, reproductive justice lens. Our three pillars are:
-Wellness: I have general advice and resources regarding pregnancy nutrition. I can also give specific exercises and lifestyle advice personalized to you to ensure your most comfortable pregnancy and smooth birth.
-Education: Prenatal visits include birth planning, getting to know one another, pain reduction techniques, what the progression of birth looks like, and anything else that might come up that needs to be worked through before your baby makes their big debut.
-Support: We spend time during the prenatal visits talking about how you can advocate for yourself and how it might look if I step in and advocate for you. I can help ensure your birth wishes are honored by advocating for you, assisting with pain reduction, giving on the spot information and space to process what's going on and any interventions being suggested, and supporting your partner to ensure they are as involved as the two of you want them to be.
-Wellness: I have general advice and resources regarding pregnancy nutrition. I can also give specific exercises and lifestyle advice personalized to you to ensure your most comfortable pregnancy and smooth birth.
-Education: Prenatal visits include birth planning, getting to know one another, pain reduction techniques, what the progression of birth looks like, and anything else that might come up that needs to be worked through before your baby makes their big debut.
-Support: We spend time during the prenatal visits talking about how you can advocate for yourself and how it might look if I step in and advocate for you. I can help ensure your birth wishes are honored by advocating for you, assisting with pain reduction, giving on the spot information and space to process what's going on and any interventions being suggested, and supporting your partner to ensure they are as involved as the two of you want them to be.
Financial Commitment
At Birth Your Way we recognize that households with lower incomes and high financial strain are at higher risk for pregnancy and birth complications. With that in mind we've developed a payment structure that considers your financial situation. Wes use the Green Bottle Method to determine each client's financial commitment. This is illustrated below. We also have payment plan options, can accept HSA and provide a copy of your invoice to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
A note about medicaid
It is being projected that medicaid will begin paying for doulas for those who qualify for coverage in the fall of 2024. This benefit will not be retroactive, so can not pay for services rendered or payments made before the start of the doula medicaid program. Birth Your Way is committed to staying up to date on the progress of this program and updating this as soon as new information is given.
It's important to know that I can support you no matter how your birth goes. This includes any and all medical intervention including csection as well as situations where baby is born sleeping. You deserve support no matter how your birth goes.
Serving Central Ohio
Centered in Ashville
Megan Neal
Owner of Birth Your Way
Doula, Childbirth Educator & Reiki Practitioner
Megan is our childbirth educator, birth & postpartum doula, reiki & relaxation massage practitioner, and placenta worker. Her background is in massage therapy, and has studied with several certifying bodies including Body Wisdom School of Massage, Birth Advocacy Doula Training, Spinning Babies, Sleep Wonders, Reiki for Birthworkers, and the Association of Placenta Preparation Arts. She also keeps her BLS & NRP certifications up to date.
Megan has experienced her own hospital birth and unassisted home water birth. Her passion for supporting maternal mental health stems from her personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety, and her mission is to help prevent/minimize symptoms, and provide support to those suffering.
Megan has experienced her own hospital birth and unassisted home water birth. Her passion for supporting maternal mental health stems from her personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety, and her mission is to help prevent/minimize symptoms, and provide support to those suffering.