My name is Betsy, and I have been a certified DONA International trained doula (www.dona.org) since July of 2006. I am also an active member of Operation Special Delivery, a volunteer doula service to moms whose husbands are serving in the military overseas. To find out more information about this organization, or if you are a pregnant mother in Wisconsin with a spouse overseas, please visit www.operationspecialdelivery.com.

My interest in and enthusiasm for all things childbirth began long ago. I graduated in 2001 from Butler University with a B.A. in English Literature and Speech Language Pathology. Shortly after graduation, I became a Special Education Teacher, and later, worked for five years as an editor at an association based in Washington, D.C. I always held an interest in all things childbirth, and I decided to make it a career soon after the birth of my son, Ty, born in 2005 (whose picture graces all of these pages!) I gave birth to him naturally, without the use of an epidural (but with the use of a fabulous doula!), and practiced the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth®. My husband was serving in Iraq at the time, as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, but luckily he made it back from deployment just in time for the birth! My wonderful, gentle, loving doula helped me feel so empowered with my birth experience, I knew I wanted to do something to help couples have the experience they hope for, and create lasting and positive memories for years to come. I began the certification process in May of 2005, and from that moment on, I knew I was in for a career change! Shortly after becoming a certified doula, I became pregnant for the second time, and I was proud of the fact that I supported births well into my second trimester! In March of 2007, my husband and I were so fortunate to have another completely natural, drug-free (and speedier!) childbirth experience with the birth of our son, Ian.

Overall, I believe childbirth is a natural and normal process, not a medical condition. I encourage and support women wanting natural childbirth, but I am also comfortable working with all mothers-to-be and their ideal birth plan, whether it is non-medicated or medicated. I will help educate you so that you understand the risks and benefits of each intervention so that you can choose the options that fit into your ideal birth plan. I believe every woman should have continuous support during her labor and birth, and every woman who wants one should have a doula present. I look forward to supporting and nurturing women and their families in the miracle of childbirth, ensuring positive feelings and blissful memories of their birth experience.

Some of my current hobbies and passions (besides childbirth and motherhood, of course) include running (marathons, triathlons-I’ve done all kinds!), enjoying time with my family and two exuberant dogs, Micah and Bandit, cooking, and spending as much time as I can outdoors being active.

I am constantly educating myself about new theories and methods in childbirth, and I took the Bradley Method® Instructor course in September 2006.  Following a brief break upon the birth of my second son, I am now beginning to teach natural childbirth classes. To find out more information about the Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth®, visit: www.bradleybirth.com. Please call or contact me for class dates and times in the Madison area.

Betsy Woods
Phone: 608.497.0201
Cell: 608.630.7132
E-Mail: Betsy.Doula@yahoo.com

Just Doula It…you’ll be glad you did!