Haley is just so sweet, a client of mine used their placenta encapsulation service and she came out and met me at the hospital at 10 pm so that the dad wouldn't have to worry about changing the ice. I mean, how sweet is that!? Get to know a little more about Haley!!
Me: Haley, can you tell us a little about you and thrive, how long have you need a doula?
Haley: My Name is Haley Dye and I am the new owner of THRIVE Birth Services of Delmarva as of October 21, 2020. I have "officially" been a doula for the past 2 years.
THRIVE Birth Services of Delmarva is a Full service pregnancy and birth support business on the Delmarva Peninsula. Offering birth doula services, postpartum doula services, placenta encapsulation services, childbirth education, birth consultations, and bereavement support. Me: What does working for THRIVE look like for your doulas? And what does it look like when someone hires thrive services?
Haley: Sometimes It looks like climbing out of bed at 2 am to go support a birthing client. Or caring for an infant overnight while a new mother gets some sleep. Occasionally you get that birth where the client calls for support at 9 am and the baby is born by 2 pm (that's rare though!). But-- No matter the time, day, or place... I think that Thrive's doulas are always excited to get that call!
We attend hospital births, home births, and birth- center births. We are in support of natural birth, water birth, medicated birth, caesarean birth, and low intervention birth.
At THRIVE there is no "client quota" that doulas need to meet. Doulas are assigned according to their availability, family and life schedules, and their willingness to take on a client. The work is shared between multiple doulas including myself.
It's a very relaxed atmosphere-- Doulas can take many clients a year if they want to, or just a few clients a year allowing for family time, self-care, travel, and other careers or passions.
When someone hires THRIVE for any service the caring process starts immediately-- whether it is through constant communication, listening to your concerns, providing information, or scheduling prenatal visits for birth support clients. Our clients are welcome to contact Thrive at any time with questions. One of our favorite things to provide is information!
Our main goal is to help you feel confident in the birthing process and to help you feel confident in the decisions that you have made for yourself and your baby. If you hire a birth doula you get prenatal visits with your doula, unlimited texts/phone calls/emails, labor support, and a postpartum visit. Postpartum support can look completely different from one client to another-- Infant care, maternal care, sibling care, food prep, house cleaning, nursery set up, lessons in basic infant care skills like swaddling, burping, diaper changing, bathing, basic breastfeeding support, etc... Whatever you feel will support you best at that time. We are here to help!
And sometimes, you just need someone to talk to! Someone to validate what you are feeling. There is no one better person than a birth professional like a doula to do that. Me: What brought you to this work? Haley: I think that this was a passion that was instilled in my heart at a very young age. I was obsessed with birth-- birthing shows ( thanks TLC!), birthing animals, birthing stories etc. My mom volunteered at a local pregnancy center and since I was homeschooled, I went with her. I loved reading the literature and playing with the uterus and baby figurines. I attended my first birth, the birth of my nephew, about 8yrs ago. From that moment forward I was in love with birth and I knew that I needed to attend more births. I started researching doulas and how to become a doula. It was about 6 yrs later, with the birth of my son, that I finally made that leap of faith and started my certification. My pregnancy and the birth of my son also lead me to an amazing community of women. I was introduced to Thrive's founder Maria. Thrive's childbirth education and her placenta services. I met some pretty amazing midwives and other birth professionals in our area and used their services. And all of that eventually lead to me pursuing a doula career and purchasing THRIVE. Me: When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? Haley: When asked this question I always said that I wanted to rock babies as a job. Haha! Which I did ended up doing as a childcare provider for almost 16yrs and now occasionally for postpartum clients. I achieved my goal! :) :) Me: what is one thing about maternal standard of care-prenatally or postpartum- you would change if you could?
Haley: Fear-based prenatal care and the lack of postpartum care for mothers who birth in hospitals. Especially those who have a cesarean.
Me: What’s one thing you want every woman to know?
Haley: Asking for help or hiring a postpartum doula does not make you a failure or show weakness. Postpartum is difficult for EVERYONE. Asking for help, or hiring a postpartum doula, shows wisdom and can lead to a victorious postpartum phase. So, be proactive and gather your support, not just for labor, but for your postpartum recovery time too. Me: If you were stranded on a deserted island what 5 things would you HAVE to have? (Besides family) Besides family and assuming there is no cell service to call for help-- My bible, my bow w/arrows, a good set of sharp butcher/cooking knives, a pot to cook/boil water, and a wide-brimmed sun hat. (maybe I'm taking this too literal.. ) As long I have my family and things to survive, I honestly think I could leave everything else behind... Me: what three words would you use to describe yourself? What three words would your clients describe you or thrive? Haley: I would describe myself as Loyal, Intuitive, and Introverted. According to client reviews, they say that THRIVE is: Informative, Supportive and Professional. Me: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Haley: Yes-- one of the best decisions that I made was to have a photographer at my birth. Those photos are more precious than gold to me! seriously! :)
*I did not ask her to say this! And I wasn't the photographer*
Me: How can people connect with you?
Website- www.thrivebirth.org Email-hello@thrivebirth.org Phone: call or text- 410-448-0016 And you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @thrivebirthservicesofdelmarva
Thank you, Haley! I know how busy you are but I'm hoping some people out there will enjoy getting to know you a little better!
"The moment a child is born, a mother is also"
much love,
Olivia