Tamara Cramer, our doula, was indispensable. Having her at our side allowed me to devote 100% of my attention to my wife. I didn’t need to be an expert on labor or positioning or delivery; Tamara was there to answer those questions and make suggestions when helpful, as well as support the nurse as we moved and labored around the room. I could relax knowing everything was taken care of and we were being watched over. All I needed to do was bet there for my wife. And I was. That helped me relax as much as my wife, I’m sure.

I was already happy with our “investment” prior to the labor. The birthing classes and prenatal support we received from Tamara, Kristin and Billie were very helpful and customized to our needs and knowledge level. They added a lot to the information we gained from the birthing classes through Poudre Valley Healthy System. Now I’m looking forward to convincing other skeptical dads that hiring a doula—particularly the ladies at Nurtured Mother—is money well spent.

—Ryan Johnson

Tamara’s knowledge, experience and compassion are incredible!

It was my dream to have a natural, drug-free childbirth with as few interventions as possible. But since this was my first pregnancy I felt uncertainty and wonder about what might be achievable. Since my husband shared both my dream and the concerns about what labor and delivery would entail, we enlisted Tamara and the Nurtured Mother team as another source of support.

My husband and I benefitted greatly from the in-depth, personalized childbirth classes with Tamara and her partner, Kristin. Their recommended exercises, relaxation techniques and nutritional suggestions helped my body get a healthy jumpstart on dilation and effacement. Meanwhile Tamara’s partner, Billie, helped me achieve peace and relaxation with prenatal massage.

Then, when it came time for my labor and our daughter’s birth. Tamara was an indispensable asset who helped both me and my husband focus on our strengths as we used all of the resources available to us and within us—mentally, physically, and spiritually.

We achieved our goal of a natural, drug-free childbirth with minimal interventions (the routine buff cap [no IV fluids or drugs pushed]), a fetal monitor for my child since meconium was present when my water broke and an episiotomy). Our daughter had very high Apgar scores, immediately bonded with Mom and Dad and took to breastfeeding like a pro. I have no doubt that our success and wellness has been impacted by the care Tamara and the Nurtured Mother doulas provided.

The team at Nurtured Mother has touched our lives. We will be working with Tamara, Kristin and Billie again when it comes time to have another child.

—Alexa Johnson