Erin Yonke, Doula

10/30/2025

Got home this morning at 5:30 from a birth that took some unexpected twists and turns.

Labor started on its own early yesterday morning and seemed to be moving along nicely until…well, it wasn’t. Despite mom and baby both doing well overall, the OB began recommending a c-section at 10pm due to “arrest of dilation” (failure to progress).

My client wasn’t ready for this and let me know through tears that this path didn’t feel right.

As her doula, was able to help facilitate a thoughtful conversation with the medical team about her goals, and we were able to work together to move forward in a way that felt best and safest for this family.

At 3:05am, she had a healthy, spontaneous vaginal delivery. ❤️❤️❤️

Having the support of a doula is not about having one specific type of birth, and it’s not about avoiding c-sections *at any cost.* It’s about being seen, heard, respected, and cared for—having your goals and desires understood and advocated for in an informed and respectful way—that ultimately helps families achieve their birth goals. …Not to mention having a pro on your team who is there *just for you*, ready and able to try every trick in the book to help you have your absolute best birth experience. 💖

This mama’s triumph was extra sweet and I’m blessed to have been a witness. Photo with Rafe who always shows up with the best post-birth snuggles. 🥰

05/11/2025

Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms I know! Thank you to all the moms who have helped, guided, and inspired me, and thank you to all the moms I have had the joy of supporting.

The work we do in our homes and in our families is the most important work we do, and this belief is what fuels my desire to help other moms find their strength as they transition to this beautiful role. I hope you all feel treasured today! 💕

Image credit: The Little Rose Shop

12/31/2024

What an absolutely amazing year this has been. This work is life changing and I am honored to have been at the side of so many powerful women in 2024, and to see their families blossom. Thankful and excited for 2025. ❤️

07/20/2023

If you only have time to read one book to prepare for your postpartum period, this is a great one to pick!

This book is thorough but not too lengthy. It’s accessible and down-to-earth. I think it strikes a great balance between what is ideal and what is practical, and emphasizes mom’s mental and emotional well-being. Birth is SUCH an enormous accomplishment…but don’t forget: it’s not the finish line. Use this time to prepare for your recovery, mamas. You need it! ❤️

07/11/2023

In case no one has told you lately: you’re the best! ❤️

07/07/2023

What does a postpartum doula DO? This is a FAQ, and the answer is: "What do you need?"

The days, weeks, and months after you have your baby are among the most joyful and the most challenging you will ever experience. Every new parent responds to the fatigue, the emotions, and the physical changes after birth differently--but we all need support and help to make sure our basic needs are getting met.

Postpartum doulas are there to help make this transition easier for you and your family, so that you can move forward with confidence and look back with joy.

07/05/2023

I was recently reminded of all the benefits that come with laboring and/or giving birth in water. ❤️

Using water for pain relief is a fantastic natural option for before—or instead of—getting an epidural. Babies who are born in water experience a more gentle transition into the world, too.

Of my own 7 babies, two were born into water, but I used baths and showers as a comfort measure during ALL of my labors.😊💙💙 Have you used water during your labor or birth?

07/02/2023

Did you know that melatonin (a natural sleep hormone in our bodies) works with oxytocin (the love hormone responsible for labor contractions) to facilitate and promote coordinated and forceful contractions in late pregnancy necessary for birth?

This is thought to be why labor often begins in the middle of the night, and it is also (in part) why keeping your birth environment soft and soothing helps promote a healthy, natural progression of labor and delivery.

07/01/2023

06/28/2023

I gotta tell you all something. Sometimes when I tell people that I have seven kids and I’m a doula, I think there’s an underlying assumption that I must have really loved being pregnant and giving birth, or that I must have been super confident in my experiences.

I cherish each one of my birth stories--but you guys. The truth is that I was terrified of birth. Every. Single. Time. Even though I was giving birth in the environment of my choice. Even though my providers honored all of my wishes. Even though I had done it before and knew I was capable. I was scared.

For a long time, I thought it was the pain that scared me--and maybe that’s true to an extent. Birth is physically intense. But when my scheduled c-section rolled around, I expected to get some relief from the anxiety since I wasn’t managing any pain…but found the night before delivery to be very much the same as early labor.

🌸Because the hard part of birth isn’t ALL physical.

🌸It’s the enormity of the experience.

🌸It’s a deep awareness of the life-giving and life-changing power of birth, and knowing that this event will change your life and your family forever. ❤️

🌸It’s unleashing a love more powerful than anything on this earth.

We tend to get wrapped up in the physical aspects of birth: hospital, home, epidurals, inductions, and surgeries, and that is absolutely necessary and I am here for it! But I’m also here to say that this isn’t the whole picture. Women need empowering physical support to give birth to their babies, but we also need support and wisdom that will allow us to connect to that deeper part of ourselves. We need people who recognize the power in us even we have a hard time seeing it ourselves.

If you are struggling or have struggled in the past with anxiety about birth, you are not alone! 🌷 I would love to hear from you! Drop a comment or a DM.

And hey, if you want to talk more about how a doula can help you prepare for birth, don’t hesitate to reach out! I can be reached by DM or head over to www.doulaerinyonke.com to set up a consult with me!

06/27/2023

The First 40 Days is a book about rest and nourishment for new moms during the first forty days after giving birth. It offers a lot of really interesting insight into cultural practices throughout the world and the reasons they were developed.

I liked this book because:
-It makes implementing a more traditional postpartum period doable and doesn’t require any super exotic ingredients or supplies
-It gives moms much-needed permission to rest as much as possible through the postpartum period
-Encourages families to ask for help

I didn’t like:

-Even though this book contains doable and simple-to-implement ideas, I think it could be a source of guilt and anxiety if you are a new mom who is struggling to just get some protein and veggies in each day. I see you, mama. Nutrition is important, but SO 👏🏻IS 👏🏻YOUR 👏🏻MENTAL 👏🏻HEALTH👏🏻. Take what you find valuable from this book, and leave the rest.

-Heng Ou recommends pumping and dumping breastmilk in the first 40 days if you want to enjoy a small glass of wine. 👎🏻 This just isn’t true or necessary, and can we please stop making breastfeeding harder than it needs to be?

At the time of writing this, the ebook version of The First Forty Days is available on KindleUnlimited. If you buy the audiobook on Audible, you can listen to the first chapters while you’re folding laundry, and it comes with a .pdf of all the recipes.

Have you read this book? Have you tried the recipes? How did it impact your postpartum experience?