Chelsea Henning

Status - Active

Level - In Training

(less than 10 births)

"I feel that I bring a lot of personal experience when it comes to childbirth and education."

The following information was provided by Chelsea to help her couples learn more about what types of support she can provide. Please be sure to email or call with any additional questions you may have.

*General Information*
Name:	Chelsea Henning	Primary & Secondary Languages:	English
Email address:	doulaservicesbychelsea@gmail.com	Website:	Lincoln Doulas For Now ; )
Where are you located?	Lincoln, NE	How many miles are you willing to travel for a birth?	As of now I would like to keep it close to Lincoln and Omaha and their surrounding areas. I will be willing to work with anyone on an individual basis.
Phone number for initial contact?	(402) 570-6213	Best hours to reach you for the client's initial contact:	Please keep initial contacts within the hours of the sun being up. facebook is a great way to contact me as well... Doula Services by Chelsea http://www.facebook.com/page/Doula-Services-by-Chelsea/252159734826951
How many years have you been providing labor support services?	Less than one year	How many births have you attended as of June 2010?	3 with more COMING SOON!
Will you attend home labors/births as well as hospital labors/births? Please explain your comfort level...	I would definitely be comfortable working with anyone and what they want to have for their birth experience.	What is the max number of births you feel comfortable handling each month?	I don’t know yet.
*Training & Credentials*
What are your current credentials & individual experiences with doula care & labor support?	- I am training to be certified with toLabor. - I have provided labor-doula care for a friend recently and it really opened my eyes and my heart to this path.
Do you have any current plans for additional training?	Most definitely I do! Breastfeeding is one of my active passions as well helping assist people with a healthy and well informed pregnancy and birth experience.
Do you provide breastfeeding support & what is your basic theory of breastfeeding?	I am a firm believer in “Breast is Best” when possible. I do my very best to help first educate people about why I believe this, and then provide encouragement and support for anyone that feels the same. I have a lot of experience with many different situations when it comes to breastfeeding and feel very confident to have (or be able to find) the knowledge and information that will help in most circumstances. I currently provide breastfeeding education through the WIC program and help many mothers and new babies with anything relating to breastfeeding.
Do you typically provide postpartum support to your clients?	I would say my breastfeeding knowledge and support give me some experience with postpartum mothers and babies. This is definitely a focus I plan on becoming more experienced in over time.
If yes to the previous question; for how long & what do you feel are your strong points in this area?	I believe postpartum would include focusing on both mother and baby. Depending on the birth and experience, how they are feeling both mentally and physically; how mother is healing; how baby is growing; and for me to provide continual support and information about breastfeeding.
*Fees & Payment Plans*
What is your typical fee schedule for attending births?	As of now I am doing births pro bono! Tips are welcome though.
Do you require a down payment?	None as of now.	Are you willing to be on a call list for "free" services when low income families contact our website?	Definitely.
How much do you charge for postpartum doula care?	Nothing as of now.	Do you send a detailed bill to your couples & when is their payment due?	This is something I will work on with gained experience.
Do you charge additional mileage when you have to travel outside of your hometown?	No.	Do you charge "cost" for labor supplies used during a birth?	No.
Will you provide a sliding fee for lower income couples?	Yes; and payment plans will be a possibility as well.	Are you open to trading or bartering for services?	I will always be willing to work out some sort of a payment on an individual basis.
*Miscellaneous Information*
How many times do you typically meet with couples prior to attending their birth?	1-3 times personally; once chosen as a doula I will be on call by phone at any time for the couple.	Do you provide a "whole house labor rehearsal" for your couples?	Again, something I plan on working out as I become more experienced.
Do you guarantee backup services in case you are unable to attend due to illness or sudden conflicts? If not, would you encourage your couple to find a 2nd choice doula for backup?	As of now, I feel we have a strong doula community that if a couple feels they would like a backup doula or would like me to have someone else available for them, that I would have no problem finding someone suitable for them.	If it felt "right" to you & your client, would you ever consider working as a team with another beginning doula to help her gain experience?	Definitely! I hope maybe I have a chance to experience this alongside another, more experienced doula. As I do more births I feel this is something important to pass on to aspiring doulas.
Is it ok for other doulas to contact you to help secure their own reliable backup?	Definitely.	How do you honestly feel about attending a birth for a couple you have never met either as a last minute doula or backup doula?	I think I would be able to work things out in that situation as long as the couple was comfortable with everything.
How do you describe yourself religiously?	I would consider myself a spiritual person.	How does your religion effect how you work with clients?	I hope that my religious views would have no effect on the outcome of working with others. It is your birth and your experience that is important and I will work with you and do what I can to help you achieve your goals.
Do you provide a doula contract for detailed expectations of your care to be signed by all parties?	This may come with time.	Have you ever worked with same sex couples?	I look forward to working with all people and all lifestyles. I do have positive experiences with same sex couples in birthing decisions, but not yet birth experience.

Final Words From Chelsea

I have lived in Lincoln for the past 10 years now, and have traveled all over the U.S. but grew up mostly in Nebraska. I have two little boys – Xander is 3 and Liam is 1 – we are also expecting our 3^rd baby at the beginning of next year. As of now I feel comfortable being an active doula but I feel that once our new baby comes, I may switch to postpartum only for a while to help accommodate my family’s changing routines. I feel that I bring a lot of personal experience when it comes to childbirth and education. My first son was born by cesarean section with many interventions. Breastfeeding was a struggle, but I had a good support person to keep me going and on Xander’s first birthday, I started my job at WIC as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. On the other hand, my second son’s birth was a completely natural V-BAC with very little intervention. This is another option I like to talk about to families I encounter that have had a previous cesarean and feel like they may be stuck having another with their next baby.

Recently I attended a friend’s labor; although I unfortunately could not remain for the birth. Before this, becoming a doula was just a thought, but since this experience I know this is what I want to do: help mothers and fathers to do what they believe to be best for their baby when it comes to bringing him/her into this world. I am a strong supporter of natural childbirth, but I do have a heart for mothers that feel some intervention may be necessary. Although I would try my hardest to educate a family about the benefits and risks associated with any decision, ultimately it is up to them what they want to have happen and it is up to me to help see that it happens for them.

Client Testimonials for Chelsea

Chelsea would love to have your testimonial here!