A few months after my daughter, Violet, was born, I decided to take the leap into doula work by helping a new friend through the birth of her first baby. She asked me to teach her what I knew and help her through. With my baby girl in tow, I was off to her house. Laura's contractions became regular and noticeable. I put Violet down in the guest room asleep and got Laura comfortable in her own bed where I too, remembered laboring for many hours in my home. I tiptoed back to the guest room as Laura was able to close her eyes and rest a little more. We woke to Laura's labor in full force, and we set off to the hospital. My husband came to pick up Violet so I could support my friend. Laura breathed as she slow danced with her husband - they didn't know it yet, but they were learning many valuable lessons leaning into each other that day. Her pushing phase was long, but she stuck to it. With every sip of water, little bite of nourishment, two people by her side cheering her on, and her trust and determination, she brought her sweet girl here. It was life changing.

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My own birth and Laura's birth shaped my view of being a doula. I knew I wanted to learn more and be there for more families. After more than 15 years of supporting women and their families through over 300 births, I'm reminded again and again that trust and courage are key to having a birth you love. It may not always go exactly as planned, but if you can see your strength show up, your tenderness, your honesty, your bravery - you can do incredible things you didn't know you could do. And that's the gift you get to take into parenting. I have built my approach around this idea and through a lens of physiology, nervous system regulation, intentional and respectful teamwork and evidence-based practice. I'm not here to tell you how to give birth, but to help you and your partner understand your options, trust yourselves and each other, and genuinely feel supported in the choices that are right for you. I hope my guidance is a place where you can explore what is possible. Let's do this together.​​​​​​

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I look forward to hearing from you. If you'd like to learn about some of my clients' experiences and how they perceived their births and my support through them, please visit the Testimonials page on this website and on my Doula Match page, here: Melissa Tuton, CD, BRM Certified Birth Pro Birth Doula Profile.

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Be Well,

Melissa Tuton​​​