Andrea
Andrea Cole CD(DONA)
About Me
I have been married to my wonderful husband for 8 years and we have two boys ages 4 and 2. My boys are lively and bursting with personality. They definitely keep me on my toes! There were many different factors that influenced my journey to “birth world”. I started out in college wanting to be an elementary school teacher and although I did over a year of substitute teaching during that time, I decided I wanted to go a different route with my career. After getting my Bachelors Degree, I worked for 2 ½ years with a local mentoring program but decided to stay home once my son was born. When he was almost 1, I did some tutoring for elementary aged kids for awhile, then I worked at my church a few afternoons a week maintaining their website. Things got a bit busier when my husband and I welcomed our second son into the world before our oldest had turned 2. Needless to say, we’ve got our hands full! I am currently able to be home full-time, excluding my work as a doula. It has been my pleasure to stay home with my boys.
My Training and Experience
As a birth doula, I accompany women in labor to help ensure a safe and satisfying delivery. I am a certified birth doula through DONA International (dona.org). I draw on my knowledge and experience to provide emotional support, physical comfort and facilitate communication as needed with your caregivers to make sure that you have the information you need to make informed decisions in labor. I can provide reassurance and perspective to you and your partner, make suggestions for labor progress and help with relaxation through massage, positioning and other techniques for comfort. I have experience with both hospital and home birth and have worked with many of the different birth professionals and caregivers in town.
Becoming a Doula
Becoming a doula was something that I really started thinking about after the birth of my second son. For me, giving birth both times had been so empowering, emotional, exciting and wonderful all at the same time…not to mention, extremely hard work! I just felt this strong desire to share my experience with other women through helping them during this unique and special time in their lives. I love what I do and for the first time, I feel like I know what I want to be when I grow up! I can see myself doing this work or something associated with birth until I can’t do it anymore!
I have a passion for helping women during one of the most important days of their lives – the day they bring a new life into the world! I am proud to join many other doulas in Fresno and around the world who want to support and encourage women through this wonderful time in their lives. I am independent and self-employed. As your doula, I am working for you, not your caregiver or hospital. I feel that as a doula, my role is to assist in creating the most satisfying birth possible- as defined by you.
Testimonies
Click HERE to read testimonials from my past clients
