Earthside Studios - Birth + Postpartum Doula Support

03/01/2026

Sometimes in labor someone will walk in and say,
“We’re going to check your cervix.”
“We’re going to start Pitocin.”
“We’re going to break your water.”
“We’re going to place an internal monitor.”

And it sounds decided.

It sounds like the train is already moving and you’re expected to just nod.

Labor does not cancel your autonomy.

Even in a hospital room.
Even in a gown.
Even when you’re tired.
Even when you’re six centimeters and shaking.
Even if you have an epidural.
Even on day 2, 3 or 4 of labor.

Nothing should be done to your body without your consent.

Let me say it again.

Nothing should be done to your body without your consent.

Not a cervical check.
Not an IV.
Not breaking your water.
Not increasing medication.

You deserve to know:

Why is this being recommended?
What are the benefits?
What are the risks?
Is this urgent?
What happens if we wait?
Are there other options?

A confident tone does not replace informed consent.

It does not mean you can’t ask why.

It does not mean you can’t take a breath and say, “Help me understand.”

You deserve to know why something is being recommended. Why now. What changes if you wait. What the benefit is. What the risk is. Whether this is urgent or simply time-sensitive.

And here’s the part that surprises a lot of women.

You can decline anything.

A cervical check.
Breaking your water.
Medication.
Internal monitoring.

You can say:
“Can you explain why?”
“Is this medically necessary right now?”
“I’d like to wait.”
“No, thank you.”

You are not being difficult.

You are exercising your right to informed consent.

If something is truly emergent, that will be communicated clearly and directly. There is a different tone when seconds matter.

Birth is happening in your body.

Not around you.
Not over you.
Not past you.

You are still part of the conversation, but “We’re going to…” is not the same as “You must.” Your autonomy does not disappear because you are in a hospital gown. And sometimes the most powerful thing you can do in a birth room is slow things down.

Because your voice is not optional in your own birth story 🤎

03/01/2026

Today is my birthday, and it was the coolest birthday of my career!

I had the absolute honor of spending the day supporting a sweet family as they brought their baby girl earthside and witnessing the miracle of life—and the best part? I now have a birthday buddy for life!!! 😎🥳

We got to kick off our birthday celebration together in the O.R., which, if you know anything about c-sections here in central MN, it’s a rare feat for additional support people (such as doulas) to gain access to go back into the operating room due to most hospitals or providers enforcing a strict one support person limit, which usually ends up being the spouse. But today, I was graciously welcomed into the O.R. along with both parents where the birthday party was taking place!

This birthday is definitely one for the books! Happy birthday, baby P 💕

And a side note, February was a busy month for births, and the crazy thing is that both of my March due dates ended up with February babies! Looks like I’ll be enjoying some nice time off call until April 🥰

02/27/2026

I may not be doing birth photography currently but this is so true!

When I say I’m on call, it isn’t cute branding.

It’s not a marketing phrase.
It’s not aesthetic.
It’s not flexible hours.

It means my ringer is on at 3am.

It means I sleep lightly.
It means my phone stays within reach at dinner, in the shower, at the grocery store, at my kids’ activities.

It means I don’t commit to trips.
I don’t schedule hair appointments.
I don’t book sessions outside a certain radius.

Because if your contractions pick up, I go.

It means leaving dinner half eaten.
It means whispering to my husband, “I'm headed to a birth.” at 4:08 in the morning and kissing him goodbye.
It means grabbing my bag and walking out the door without knowing when I’ll be home.

It means your due date lives in the back of my mind every single day that month.

I am watching the calendar.
I am checking in.
I am mentally prepared.

Because birth does not wait for convenience.

It doesn’t care if it’s Christmas morning.
Or my child’s birthday.
Or 2:17am after I just fell asleep.

And when you hire me, you are not just booking a time slot.

You are reserving my presence.

You are reserving my availability.
My energy.
My focus.

You are asking me to build my life around the possibility of your labor starting at any moment.

And I say yes to that intentionally.

Because this work matters.

But that level of commitment deserves to be understood.

When you invest in birth photography or doula support, you are not just paying for the hours I’m physically in the room.

You are paying for the weeks of availability.
The mental load of readiness.
The nights on standby.
The rearranged schedule.

You are paying for someone who is prepared to show up fully, no matter when your baby decides it’s time.

Your birth is not a side job to me or a cute trend I saw on pinterest.
It's not a "well if I can" kind of session.

It is something I structure my entire life around.

And that kind of presence requires real commitment.

It is costly.
But it is also
Intentional.
A sacrifice.
Soul work.

And it is deeply valued 🤎

02/13/2026

My dear friend’s sweet baby was born late last night and after a good night’s sleep, I’m finally heading home to be with my family whom I’ve collectively spent 4.5 days away from in the past week between the two births I’ve attended. Being away from my family unpredictably is definitely the hardest part of my job, but the rewarding aspect of knowing these families I work with are well-supported and getting started on their parenthood journey on the right foot makes it all worth it.

As I reflect on this week, I’m so blessed to support families through one of the most exciting and transformative moments of their lives. I always learn something new at each and every birth but these two births in particular have taught me valuable skills to apply to future births.

The lessons that stuck out to me the most were PATIENCE and the power of surrounding yourself with a birth team who is truly supportive of your goals and who listens to your needs, even if they differ from the norm/may be seen as inconvenient/inefficient for the provider. Because I promise, things would have gone down a very different path had the parents chosen the straightforward path as opposed to paving their own path. And I am so proud of both families for advocating for their needs!

And now, I’m homeward bound 🚙

02/12/2026

The thing about inductions is that they can be misleading. Families often assume they will go in for an induction and have a baby that day since we are in a controlled setting. But inductions aren’t always so straightforward.

Depending on a number of factors, especially for those who have never given birth before and/or are very early and their body is not ready for labor at all, the cervical ripening process (the very beginning stages) can sometimes take days. And then you still have to go through the entire labor process after that, which can take hours to days.

Today, we are on day 3 of a {medically necessary} induction and we’re right back at it and ready to take on the day!

02/11/2026

What a week! I just got home from a lovely birth yesterday morning, and now I’m off to go support a dear friend of mine during the birth of her first baby! I love my job 💕

01/21/2026

Were you made aware of the risks of artificially rupturing the membranes?

01/12/2026

More evidence that shows us that waiting to clamp the umbilical cord has benefits. I wish this study had had a third group called “optimal cord clamping” where they did not clamp the cord until the cord became limp, white, AND stopped pulsating. I think we would then see the full extent of the undeniable benefits of optimal cord clamping compared to what is currently standard practice among most hospitals (which is clamping the cord at around 60 seconds).

01/12/2026

🤍

12/29/2025

One of the most common questions I’ve received as a doula is, “do you work with my insurance?”

Until now, I’ve been stuck in the process of waiting for my certifying doula program to become approved by the Minnesota Department of Health’s list of approved doula certification organizations. But this week I received great news from my doula program instructors at Birth Becomes You and I am one step closer to being able to work with families insured through Medicaid!

I still have some additional steps to take to get everything set up on my end but pending individual approval through the state’s Doula Registry, just know that good things are coming soon! 🤩

I look forward to updating everyone soon!

12/12/2025

This is exactly the training and collaboration that needs to be happening regularly in our communities to improve birth outcomes and overall perceived birth experiences! 👏

12/04/2025

A rare spot is open for homebirth with Wildflower Midwifery Care if you’re due in late April or early May!

I have one spot open for an early May 2026 due date. If you are due between April 28-May 12 and are interested in homebirth, please reach out and let’s chat! Serving 75 miles around Zimmerman MN with offices in Zimmerman and Buffalo and also offering all in-home visits within 40 miles