Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Burns.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I became interested in becoming a doula after seeing a home birth while I was a nanny. Having the opportunity to witness the process of birth undisturbed, with a woman surrounded by love and support of family and friends was really moving. Shortly after that, while chatting with a woman at a hospital, she asked me, “Are you a doula?” Puzzled, I asked her what a doula was. I’d had the experience of supporting families with little ones and having just attended a birth, I immediately loved the idea of supporting women during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
In 2008, I started as a doula. In 2012, I was trained as a postpartum doula. In 2013, I started midwifery school and in 2017, I became a licensed midwife! I now serve families as a doula or midwife. I work with clients choosing to birth in their home, a hospital or birth center.
I’ve attended to around 250 families in the process.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I was the youngest doula in San Diego that I knew of at the time I started – 20 years old. I had only been to a handful of births when I started to take on my own private clients and I didn’t (and still do not) have children of my own. So, convincing parents or even having the confidence myself that I was truly capable of supporting a woman through such an important and immense life-changing event took some time.
I think I really started getting busier when I realized what might seem as drawback were actually advantages. I was young – so I had the energy and enthusiasm to support a woman for long hours and late nights without sleep. I didn’t have my own birth experiences – great! I had no bias for what my clients birth should be like. My job is to support without judgment or agenda. When I really felt that in my core, I had the heart and ability to work with birthing families, I started to see my business grow.
If you’re just starting a business remind yourself of why you are passionate about your work. Focus on serving your clients. Be patient with yourself as you grow!
What should we know about Night and Day San Diego? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We support families during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. I am a birth doula and a licensed midwife. There are just a few of us in San Diego that is actively doing both doula care and are licensed midwives.
Some of our families hire us for birth doula support during their hospital birth. Our primary job is to help a woman stay comfortable during labor offering massage, suggestions for position changes, and reassurance. While woman labor at home we can offer care such as listening to the babies heartbeat and perform on cervical exams to look at progress. This helps parents avoid going to the hospital too early.
We also provide home birth care. We see clients for prenatal visits, can be the primary provider at their birth and offer in-home postpartum care. We offer water birth, too!
We enjoy supporting families wherever they feel most comfortable. It’s not home birth vs. hospital birth. There are many options in San Diego, and we really want families to feel safe and supported in their choices. Being both midwives and doulas enables us to have a greater capacity to help families have positive birth experiences.
Looking back on your childhood, what experiences do you feel played an important role in shaping the person you grew up to be?
My mother has a really strong work ethic. Seeing her as a working woman throughout my childhood has impressed on me a strong desire to do my best at whatever task is at hand. I also knew that despite her long hours that she had clear work/life boundaries, some that she learned with time. Work can consume you, especially if you are driven and love your work, so it’s really important to find that balance.
Pricing:
- Birth Doula Monatrice – $1,700
- Home birth care – $4,500
- Postpartum Doula – $35/hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 4443 30th Street, Ste 205
San Diego, CA 92116 - Website: www.nightanddaysandiego.com
- Phone: (619) 312-1832
- Email: hello@nightanddaysandiego.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nightanddaysandiego/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nightdaysandiego/
Image Credit:
Krissel Rivas Photography and Catie Stevens, VueFinder Photography
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