‘A positive birth experience begins with trust’
Doula Sarah Gruey-Riet has lived all over the United States, coast to coast, from California to Vermont, and has even graced her presence in Rochester, Indiana from 2002-2008. It was while attending Rochester Community Schools that she became interested in working with families and honing that motherly touch through Century Career Center’s Child Development Course.
“I was going to be a preschool teacher. Years later, down the road, my sister-in-law asked me to be her birth support. Her first birth ended up in C-section, and she wasn't able to breastfeed before that. I had just had a home birth and was nursing, so she wanted my support. I started reading up and learned about the role of a doula, and it just took off from there.” She is now a certified birth doula through Childbirth International and is hired privately by families for home births. Sarah specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum support, and is also a trained Lactation Specialist through UC San Diego Extension.
“I am not a medical professional, “Sarah says, wanting to stress the distinction; “I am hired by, and work for, the families for both home and hospital births. A doula is not the same as a midwife.”
As a doula, Sarah offers physical, emotional, and evidence-based informational support to complement the needs of women to meet their and their families’ goals and inspirations, as they welcome their newest member to the family. Partners or additional birth support people are encouraged to also be present during each step before and after birth. Postpartum care includes a reflection of the birth, feeding support, self-care support, meal prep, light housework, childcare, and more. Sarah goes on call 24/7 for each client at 37 weeks of pregnancy until labor.
Between her personal experience as a mother, and her professional training as a Lactation Specialist, she offers valuable information and support to start moms off on the right foot in their personal journey of breastfeeding.