Who are we?
My name is Melissa Pistorius. I have been a doula since March 2015. I love everything about birth! I love that there are so many options for women now, and you can birth how you want to. Whether you want to give birth in the privacy of your own bathroom, or in the hospital with an epidural, or anywhere in between, I would love to use my skill to help you feel empowered in your birth.
Why is Empowerment so important? Let me tell you a story. When I was in labor with my first son, my OB (not my favorite person) forced me into releasing my bag of waters. She was mean and didn't really give me an option. I felt defeated and upset about the birth. Fast forward to my second son's birth. My midwife and I were able to discuss how I wanted to proceed when I needed to be induced. After she gave me options to proceed, I CHOOSE to have my bag of waters released. I felt empowered because I had made the choice.
I don't want any other mother to feel how I felt after my first son's birth. I want you to feel like a rockstar! I will support you in any safe choice you want to make for you and your baby.
While serving as a birth doula, I felt drawn to postpartum work. Every birth related event I attended someone would mention postpartum support, and I was drawn to them like a moth to the flame. I, like many new mothers, struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety. Much of my struggles came from unmet expectations. I moved back to Utah to be close to my family and I assumed that they would intrinsically know what I needed, and show up on my doorstep with home cooked meals, offers to watch my older son, or time to help me around the house. It did not come, and I felt that it was my failing. That if I had been a more lovable person, they would have come. Or some such nonsense. I have come to realize the power and beauty of asking for help. Of being vulnerable and letting others know what you need, and letting them love you.
Now I focus a lot on that. On helping new parents create a plan for how their new baby will fit into the family. I want all new parents to be as ready as possible for what will happen as their family expands.
Why is Empowerment so important? Let me tell you a story. When I was in labor with my first son, my OB (not my favorite person) forced me into releasing my bag of waters. She was mean and didn't really give me an option. I felt defeated and upset about the birth. Fast forward to my second son's birth. My midwife and I were able to discuss how I wanted to proceed when I needed to be induced. After she gave me options to proceed, I CHOOSE to have my bag of waters released. I felt empowered because I had made the choice.
I don't want any other mother to feel how I felt after my first son's birth. I want you to feel like a rockstar! I will support you in any safe choice you want to make for you and your baby.
While serving as a birth doula, I felt drawn to postpartum work. Every birth related event I attended someone would mention postpartum support, and I was drawn to them like a moth to the flame. I, like many new mothers, struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety. Much of my struggles came from unmet expectations. I moved back to Utah to be close to my family and I assumed that they would intrinsically know what I needed, and show up on my doorstep with home cooked meals, offers to watch my older son, or time to help me around the house. It did not come, and I felt that it was my failing. That if I had been a more lovable person, they would have come. Or some such nonsense. I have come to realize the power and beauty of asking for help. Of being vulnerable and letting others know what you need, and letting them love you.
Now I focus a lot on that. On helping new parents create a plan for how their new baby will fit into the family. I want all new parents to be as ready as possible for what will happen as their family expands.
Why should I choose you?
I have had extensive training and continue to take classes and learn from the best sources, to make this transition to motherhood the best possible for you. I took a training through DONA, as well as an Advanced Doula Course, going more in depth. I am in the process of certifying as a postpartum doula and New Parent Educator through CAPPA. I have taken an acupressure course and would love to teach you and your husband pressure points to minimize pregnancy related concerns and promote a natural, shorter, more comfortable and positive birth experience. I have training in breastfeeding, rebozo techniques, and experience with water births.
Where do you serve?
I serve primarily Salt Lake and Utah valleys. I have experience at the University of Utah Hospital, IHC in Murray, Riverton Hospital, and American Fork Hospital, but am willing to go to any hospital, birth center, or home birth in the area. I would love to serve you, no matter where you birth. I will teach
Are you a certified doula?
While I have taken several courses to further my training and knowledge base, I have specifically chosen not to certify with any one body. I prefer to spend that money to take other courses that increase my knowledge and skills to help you.
Courses I have taken:
Courses I have taken:
- DONA International Birth doula training
- Advanced doula training from Birth Learning, with birth shadowing experience
- CAPPA Postpartum doula training and New parent educator training, in process of certifying
- Nick Olow's Accupressure Comfort Measures for Pregnancy Care, Labor Support, and Postpartum Care
- Breastfeeding class by Julie Johnson IBCLC
- Rebozo training
- Postpartum belly binding for birth professionals, and self binding from Positive Birth Learning
- Hospital water birth
- Back Labor
- Women with epidurals
- VBAC
- 1 year experience as a breastfeeding counselor for WIC
- Overnight postpartum care
- 2 years volunteering as a doula at the University of Utah