They say that knowledge is power, at NQ&C we take this to heart in all of our Childbirth Education classes to empower you and your partner to have your best birth! Our private or small group classes are built on a foundation of local birth experiences from over a decade of service. We can custom tailor our courses to cover topics and concepts built around your family and birthing needs. The goal of our classes are to educate you on all your birth options to reduce fears and anxieties leading up to the birth of your child. This powerful knowledge includes proven strategies to shorten your labor, manage the sensations that accompany birth, and take control of you birth to make it yours! We strive to give you and your birth team the knowledge and tools to confidently make the best birthing decisions for you and your family. We also help coach your partner based on your desired level of involvement to be prepared and ready to support you during labor.

The word Doula is derived from the Greek term for “woman’s servant”. At NQ&C we take that role and responsibility with the utmost pride as we walk alongside you during your birth journey. Our NQ&C Birth Doulas have a high level of expertise in all things related to birth. We are here to support the birth team with informational, physical, and emotional support. When we say support the birth team, its just that, a team! NQ&C also fosters excellent relationships with our local birthing professionals to ensure that our team is connected full circle.

We support both the mother and partner through the birthing process to bring clarity and confidence to your birth journey. Our Birth Doulas are highly skilled in productive labor positioning and comfort measures. NQ&C Doulas bring a vast array of experience and knowledge through a diverse variety of professional certifying organizations. Training such as Spinning Babies gives our Doulas knowledge to guide you in promoting optimal fetal positioning to support a productive pregnancy and birthing process.

We support our clients in their chosen birth environments to include hospitals, birth centers, and home births. Our Doulas are experienced both personally and professionally with natural birth, medicated birth, cesarean section, and VBAC births.

The time following the birth when your family returns home to your new normal can be a very stressful time, but with NQ&C, you are not alone! Our Postpartum Doulas assist in your home to help provide support that is “mother centered” to alleviate any fears or anxiety that accompany bringing home your new addition. This support includes research-based educational support, baby care basics, and how to care for your body during the postpartum healing process. We also provide emotional support for the whole family as well as feeding support to establish a solid foundation for you new normal.

Our Postpartum Doulas are true professionals who are background checked, trained through mentoring, and possess exceptional skills in providing emotional support for the family. Our Doulas are trained to recognize the early signs of parents who may be experiencing postpartum depression, anxiety or psychosis. Our Doulas are trained to work within the scope of “normal” postpartum emotions and behaviors. NQ&C is connected with extraordinary resources and support providers who can assist to ensure your family transitions into a healthy and happy new normal.

NQ&C Doulas are available 24/7 to provide you with the services you need to get through the weary months of having a newborn. Our Doulas are there for you, providing you with your best night sleep by alleviating the part of your mind that stays awake when you are anticipating the next time your baby wakes. Much like a night nanny, our Doula’s care for your baby while you sleep. But as a postpartum Doula we also care for you and your family. Our Doulas can help you through your evening routine, dinner, dishes, bathing children and more. When family sleep time comes into play, our Doula will take to a typical nighttime routine with your baby. We are there in the middle of the night when nursing becomes difficult or when baby has reflux. We are there to take care of all the feedings, diaper changes, swaddling, and gentle soothing of the baby back to sleep. If you are a breastfeeding mother, your Doula will bring you a nice quiet baby to nurse, then you can go right back to sleep while your Doula does the rest. As your Doula works with your family you will work together to create healthy safe sleep habits for your baby, while respecting all your parenting decisions.

Placenta Encapsulation is the process of preparing the placenta for consumption. This process is accomplished by first washing the placenta. Once washed, the placenta is either steamed then sliced or simply sliced from raw form to prepare for dehydrating depending on the client. Once sliced, the placenta is dehydrated and ground into a fine power to be placed into capsules. NQ&C uses only vegetarian capsules in this process and employs strict sanitizing protocols as dictated by national food and safety regulations. Most of the equipment involved in this process is disposable and is discarded for each client. Once the placenta is prepared, it is placed into capsules for the birth mother to consume. Our clients can be as involved in the process as they choose to be and the process can be completed in their home or off site.

There are many possible benefits for the birthing mother in consuming her placenta. Some of the noted benefits are said to be a reduction in the risk of developing postpartum depression, providing the mother with oxytocin (which helps with feelings of love, bonding, and over all well-being), and provides the mother with HPL hormone (which can aid in lactation). Other benefits of consuming placenta are said to provide increased Vitamin B (helps with overall energy), replaces iron from the blood loss of birth and helps mothers have less hormone fluctuations after birth. Consuming placenta after birth is also said to provide pain relief to the mother.

NQ&C also offers umbilical cord keepsake art and placenta print art for the mother at their request.

The virtual support services platform offered by NQ&C allows our clients direct access to an NQ&C Doula from anywhere that the client has an internet or phone connection. This unique option defies limits and physical boundaries by connecting our clients with their Digital Doula at the time and place they decide that they need support.

Your Digital Doula can provide informational and emotional support via live video chat, phone call, or text. Through video chat options, the Digital Doula can also see, hear, and evaluate your needs as well as the needs of your partner and communicate with you and your birth team to provide you the support you need. The missing link in this support option you may think is that physical support you receive from your in-person Doula. We have got you covered! Through our included virtual childbirth education classes, NQ&C can prepare you and your partner for the physical support aspects and practice these techniques and terminology prior to your birth. When it is time for birthing, you and your partner will be coached and ready to follow the guidance of your Digital Doula and your partner can by the physical link between Doula and Mother.

Similar to birth support, NQ&C Digital Doulas can provide you with postpartum support during the challenging and stressful times of the postpartum period. Your Digital Doula is there to answer your questions, talk about what you are experiencing, and help you establish your new normal. You can hold video chat sessions with your Digital Doula to discuss and demonstrate baby soothing techniques or swaddling methods to help you and baby achieve comfort and confidence.

Currently, we offer Childbirth Education, Birth Doula Support, Postpartum Doula Support, and Sleep Consulting via the virtual services platform.

****IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE**** Due to recent changes to the birthing environments and concerns relative to the COVID-19 Virus across the country, NQ&C has made it our mission to continue to support birthing mothers of our community in this time of need. NQ&C recognizes the importance of the Virtual Support Services platform and is committed to providing this service at a discounted rate to ensure that all birthing mothers have the option for support despite visitor limitations and without concerns of jeopardizing social distancing. Contact us today as we stand together and birth through these uncertain times.