Minneapolis & Saint Paul, MN
763-363-2511
Minneapolis & Saint Paul Birth Doulas
Minneapolis & Saint Paul Birth Doulas
Inclusive & Informed Birth Doula Services for Families who want Unparalleled Support
without Judgment or Overwhelm.
What People Are Saying...
"I didn't expect this would be such a powerful bonding experience for us, but Jillian helped my husband be so involved in supporting me through our son's birth... I truly had an ideal experience, and I'm SO grateful for her."
-Amanda, mother of Blaze
Inclusive & Informed Birth Doula Services for Families who want Unparalleled Support without Judgment or Overwhelm.
What People Are Saying...
"I didn't expect this would be such a powerful bonding experience for us, but Jillian helped my husband be so involved in supporting me through our son's birth. I truly had an ideal experience, and I'm SO grateful for her."
-Amanda, Mother of Blaze
Do any of these sound familiar?
Social and reproductive justice are important to you. You want a doula who will advocate for your right to pursue the full spectrum of options related to your body, your birth, and your baby.
Whether or not you intend to use pain medication, you want to use tools like movement, breath, and relaxation to stay calm and present.
You're a planner who wishes you had time to take all the classes and read all the books, but you're doing your best to release expectation and go with the flow.
You want a doula who is mental health and trauma-informed after experiencing fertility challenges, loss, past birth trauma, anxiety, or depression.
You're just a big-feels type of person and want some additional emotional support as you navigate big decisions and big change...
Do any of these sound familiar?
Social and reproductive justice are important to you. You want doulas who advocate for your right to pursue the full spectrum of options related to your body, your birth, and your baby.
Whether or not you intend to use pain medication, you want to use tools like movement, breath, and relaxation to stay calm and present.
You're a planner who wishes you had time to take all the classes and read all the books, but you're doing your best to release expectation and go with the flow.
You want a doula who is mental health and trauma-informed after experiencing fertility treatments, loss, past birth trauma, anxiety, or depression.
You're just a big-feels type of person and want some additional emotional support as you navigate big decisions and big change...
Welcome! I'm Jillian, and I'm so glad you're here.
Although it’s only one day in the long journey of parenthood, birth stories stick with us for life because they expose everything about what it means to be human. Vulnerability. Strength. Fear. Joy. Courage. Connection. Love…
Birth is a miracle every single time, no matter how it happens. And birth is hard every single time, no matter how it happens.
You deserve to be held and supported fully, so that you can look back on your unique birth story with power, love, and awe; with a strengthened belief in yourself and a deeper reverence for your body, heart, and mind.
That is why supporting your decisions unconditionally is the foundational belief upon which MSP Doulas was built. I am humbled and honored to be able to do this work alongside you, and I hope to have the opportunity to talk more with you soon.
I've trained and/or certified with organizations including, but not limited to...
Benefits of Birth Doula Support
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-doulas/
What People Are Saying...
"When my water broke late at night, Jillian offered great coaching & peace of mind. One of my top requests had always been to stay at home until it was truly the appropriate time to head to the hospital... she did an amazing job at reading me and timing things just right!
At the hospital, Jillian was an ideal balance of advocating for my desires while building positive relationships hospital staff. We ended up with a healthy baby born via water birth!"
-Jess, Mother of Hayden
What People Are Saying...
"When my water broke late at night, Jillian offered great coaching & peace of mind. One of my top requests had always been to stay at home until it was truly the appropriate time to head to the hospital... she did an amazing job at reading me and timing things just right!
At the hospital, Jillian was an ideal balance of advocating for my desires while building positive relationships hospital staff. We ended up with a healthy baby born via water birth!"
-Jess, Mother to Hayden
$2000
"Jillian is knowledgeable, compassionate, and client-centered. Her prenatal appointments with us helped us feel prepared, confident, and supported. Our baby was transverse and she gave us spinning baby poses to try -- we ended up not having to do a ECV because our baby turned on their own!"
-Amy, Mother of Miles
All Birth Doula Services Include...
$2,000
What People Are Saying...
"Jillian is knowledgeable, compassionate, and client-centered. Her prenatal appointments with us helped us feel prepared, confident, and supported. Our baby was transverse and she gave us spinning baby poses to try - we ended up not having to do an ECV because our baby turned on their own!"
-Amy, Mother of Miles
Ready to chat?
Book your free consult!
What do Prenatal Visits Look Like?
Prenatal and postpartum visits allow us to build a warm, trusting relationship first and foremost. They are your time to ask questions, explore fears or concerns, process challenges, and celebrate wins! Typically, there are 2-3 prenatal meetings and one postpartum visit (about a week after your baby is born). Each visit has a general topic, but because each person is unique, the exact agenda is personalized to you.
Prenatal and Postpartum Visit Topics
Prenatal and Postpartum Visit Topics
In Prenatal One, meet with Jillian and explore your full spectrum of options related to birth and pinpoint your priorities. We'll talk about embodied consent, your communication style, and shared decision making with your medical team.
In Prenatal Two, you will have the chance to practice hands-on comfort measures, learn different positions that we might use during labor, and talk about what you can do during pregnancy to prepare your body for labor, birth, and recovery.
Prenatal Three is great to opt-in to if you want me to attend your midwife home visit in the case of homebirth or if you are facing a change in plans and want to talk induction, c-section, mental health, or postpartum concerns.
Your Birth Story Debrief is a 30-45 minute follow-up visit with the doula who attended your birth. You'll have the opportunity to process significant events from your birth-day. We'll also make any necessary referrals and celebrate your strength, resilience, and courage!
What People Are Saying...
"Jillian was at my birth, an unexpected c-section, and she made me feel such confidence in my decisions. She was such a gift, and I'm forever grateful. Her name is in our baby book, and she'll be part of our birth story for the rest of our lives"
-Laura, Mother of Oliver
What People Are Saying...
"Jillian was at my birth, an unexpected c-section, and she made me feel such confidence in my decisions. She was such a gift, and I'm forever grateful. Her name is in our baby book, and she'll be part of our birth story for the rest of our lives"
-Laura, Mother of Oliver
Do you go to my birth center/hospital/homebirth?
I attend births at all Twin Cities Metro birth centers, all Twin Cities Metro homebirths, and the following hospitals:
M Health Fairview (Riverside, Southdale),
Allina Mother Baby Centers (Abbott Northwestern, United)
Health Partners (Methodist, Regions, Lakeview)
North Memorial (Robbinsdale, Maple Grove)
When are you on call for my birth?
Between 37 weeks' gestation and 42 weeks' gestation. If you go into labor outside of this window and I am available, I will happily still attend your birth.
What if you can't make my birth?
I take my commitment to clients seriously, and it's incredibly rare that I'm unavailable to support a birth when I'm on-call (between 37-42 weeks). However, I am human, and in the case of extreme illness or family emergency, I always have a back-up doula or two on call to support you. If you would like to meet your primary backup doula during your pregnancy, I'm happy to arrange a meeting for you.
What is the difference between a midwife and a doula?
A midwife is your medical care provider. Their primary job is to oversee all clinical aspects of your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care. Midwives can provide medical care in a home, birth center, or hospital setting. In low-risk births, they do everything an OBGYN would typically do, including overseeing induction births and births where the patient chooses to have an epidural - just with a more holistic focus. In a birth center or hospital, midwives may manage many patients at one time.
A doula provides positional & practical support, emotional processing and reassurance, and helps you advocate for yourself within the medical setting. Think of a doula as your coach through labor, keeping you calm and in the zone. We are the only members of your birth team who are 100% focused on you and your wellbeing (even homebirth midwives have a second focus - your baby!).
Doulas do not complete any clinical tasks, such as taking your blood pressure, checking your cervix, or making medical recommendations. We can, however, help you access evidence based information and make recommendations on how to approach conversations with your medical care provider.
What if I'm induced?
Inductions are unpredictable and can sometimes take over 72 hours (you won't be actively contracting the whole time!). Typically, I'm present for intake to make sure you get settled, and then we keep in close contact via text and facetime to determine when in person support would be most useful.
What if I have a C-section?
Most Twin Cities hospitals allow doulas in the OR during cesarean births.
Whether planned, unplanned, or emergency, cesarean births require your medical team to focus that much more on their medical tasks (which is, of course, what we want them to do!) Having a doula present, whose job is to provide emotional reassurance and step-by-step information on what to expect is invaluable.
C-sections also tend to be very routine for OBGYNs and nurses, and having a doula there to help advocate for family-focused options can make a big impact in your perception and satisfaction. Finally, doulas in the OR and recovery rooms can help encourage breast/chestfeeding, if it's a priority for you. For a variety of reasons, nursing can be more difficult after a cesarean (although not impossible!), and there are key things we can do in those first hours to increase success.
Will you work with my employer or insurance?
If you have state sponsored insurance/Medicaid I take clients through Everyday Miracles, a nonprofit organization that works to improve birth outcomes and reduce health disparities by providing evidence- based education, compassionate and culturally aware support and a non-judgmental, caring community. You can request services through their website (just indicate my name on your request).
I also accept HSA/FSA or I can provide you with an itemized receipt to pursue reimbursement from your private health insurance.
If your employer offers reimbursement for doula services, I require payment up front and then provide an itemized receipt for you to request reimbursement from your employer.
Do you offer discounts or payment plans?
I never want cost to be a barrier for doula services, and if it feels unattainable, I encourage you to reach out. If you desire a doula at your birth, there are many creative ways to make it happen, and I'm more than happy to help you navigate the challenge. At a minimum, I will absolutely work with you to determine a payment plan that works for your family.
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© MSP Doulas - All Rights Reserved - Terms & Conditions - Site by Jillian Carpenter - Photos by Gather Birth Cooperative, the Divine Group, and Lem and June