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2019-06-16 18:53:00 UTC |
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Caring support before, during and after your baby's birth. Serving Boston, North Shore and Southern NH. |
I'm Jennifer Symes, CD, PCD(DONA)
Birth and Postpartum Doula and Body Ready Method Pro.
Congratulations on this new adventure! I look forward to discussing how we can work together to create a nurturing space for you and your family.
In response to changing policies and safety measures due to covid-19, I am available for virtual services, if needed. We can schedule a full support package, a one time session or something in between. You don't have to face these challenges without preparation and support. |
Pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn weeks come with great joy, transitions and challenges. As your Doula, I can help you find what works best for you and your baby. I provide non-judgmental care, education, hands-on support and encouragement as you navigate this journey of parenthood. Whether this is your first baby or your fifth, Doula care offers you the personalized support that you need.
Working with children and families has always been a big part of my life. Professionally, my background is in Early Childhood Education and Psychology, both as a teacher and an administrator of childcare programs. Personally, I am the proud parent of four children, learning parenting lessons daily. What’s true of most parents is that along with the joy, they sometimes feel nervous, lonely or just plain tired. And I’ve found that this is the case whether your baby is in utero or high school. I am here to listen and help solve the problems you encounter from pregnancy through the postpartum months. I am also here to celebrate your victories and cheer you on! When you are supported in this journey, I believe you are the parent your child deserves.
My philosophy is simple: I provide the resources you need to make informed decisions, as well as the tools to implement those plans, but ultimately, the decisions are yours.
I continue to take workshops on a variety of topics that help me better serve my clients, including Body Ready Method, childbirth education, lactation, pelvic floor health, trauma informed birth support and Spinning Babies. I hold current certifications in Infant and Adult CPR and First Aid.
Inviting someone into your birth space and your life is a very personal decision. The best way to know if we would make a good team is for us to talk. I'd love to schedule a free consultation to discuss your individual needs and wishes.
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Jennifer was such a huge help for our family postpartum. With two school age children, our lives were already hectic before the arrival of baby number three. As I recovered from my first c-section birth and our family navigated the somewhat bumpy transition from family of four to family of five, Jennifer’s visits were a welcome relief. My newborn was slow to gain weight at first and Jennifer confidently stepped in with helpful nursing tips, calls to lactation and other specialists and, best of all, as a caring and experienced listener. She was quick to respond to my calls and texts and was such a reassuring presence in our home. Her visits allowed me to get some much-needed rest, my big kids adore her, and she left me feeling confident that our family would indeed find our new normal. I’m so glad that we had Jennifer’s loving help to welcome our new baby! |
— Emily S. |
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Jennifer Symes is an amazing Doula! Having her around was a tremendous help. Although my labor did not go as planned, she was very attentive and helped me to become as comfortable as possible. She assisted me with different techniques to help manage my labor. During my pregnancy and childbirth Jennifer was available to answer any questions that arose. My partner expressed many times being grateful for her presence. Having her there gave my partner the opportunity to rest after working a double shift and know I was in good hands. Postpartum Jennifer continues to make herself available if needed. I would highly recommend Jennifer and would definitely reach out to her in a heartbeat shall we decide to extend our family. Thank you again Jennifer! |
— Natasha B. |
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I was so grateful that I had Jennifer's help. She helped me on a pragmatic and emotional level. Logistically, Jennifer just knew what to do without needing much direction. During that time I had a little anxiety and I wanted everything in my physical environment to be just so to help me feel more in control... Jennifer helped keep my physical environment orderly and clean so I could enjoy my little one. I remember one afternoon I got lightheaded and laid down to rest. Jennifer got my baby to sleep and when I woke up rested, my trash was taken out, my dishes were done, and there was a beautiful note telling me what a great job I was doing. I felt like an angel just took over and I could let go for some time. Emotionally, Jennifer listened to my concerns about being a new mom and helped me to process them. I felt lighter and more reassured after our conversations. Jennifer listened in a way that did not feel like she was trying to fix me; she was present, accepting, and nurturing. And she helped me to laugh which I definitely needed. Jennifer truly cared... I would wholeheartedly recommend Jennifer as a doula. My husband and I are planning on having a second child and I will certainly hire Jennifer again. |
— Molly K. |
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Prenatal, Birth and Postpartum Care |
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Prenatal Preparation |
Meeting with me prenatally can help prepare you for the birth of your child. We will tailor a program to your needs that could include education about childbirth and baby-care, emotional readiness, relaxation techniques or household organization.
Pregnancy is a huge physical feat, yet most are not given the tools they need to appropriately and adequately support their body through this process. I believe an empowered pregnancy should include specific education and support for the pregnant body including the core, pelvic floor, upper body mobility, pelvis and body alignment or movement pattern education. Not only can this minimize or even eliminate symptoms and dysfunction that we are often told are “just a
normal part of pregnancy,” it also prepares the body for a more efficient birth and a smoother postpartum recovery.
As a Body Ready Method Certified Professional, I can provide assessments and tools that will help with:
● Body balancing to help baby find their best position
● Prenatal aches and pains
● Pelvic floor dysfunction
● Core support to minimize issues with abdominal separation and diastasis recti
● A more efficient birth by optimizing the body during pregnancy
● A smoother postpartum recovery
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Labor and Birth Support |
Studies show that having a Doula has many benefits, such as a more positive birth experience, lower Cesarean rates, shorter labors and less medications, including those to induce labor.
Some of the ways I use my training to support you in labor and birth include:
● Understanding what your baby is trying to do and the moves to help create space for baby to do it.
● Deep understanding of birth positions.
● Hands on balancing and release techniques to help create better baby positioning, space and yield.
● Creating a safe, warm, trusting environment.
Birth Doula care is offered as a $1,800 package including *2 Prenatal meetings *Phone, text and email support through your pregnancy *Access to my lending library & resources *Assistance with writing a Birth Plan *Preparation for labor, birth and postpartum *24/7 on-call availability starting at 38 weeks gestation *Continuous labor and immediate postpartum support *Postpartum visit
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Postpartum |
Care, when you need it most.
Offering supportive care for new parents in your home while you navigate the first weeks with a new baby. My role varies with your needs and can include education, physical comfort during recovery, emotional support, household organization, light meal preparation, sibling adjustment, baby feeding and newborn resources. I can help you with tasks around the house, accompany you to an appointment or ensure that you get that much needed nap or a shower. Let's talk about your needs and come up with a solution.
These hourly visits are designed to meet the unique needs of each family. $45 per hour~10% off for birth clients |
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jennifer@harbordoula.com |
508-523-0827 |
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