No matter where or when or how it happens, becoming a parent is a rite of passage, an initiation that asks you to release who you are to make space for who you’re becoming.
It’s going to take more than Google and TikTok to prepare for THIS transformation.
If…
You’re absolutely sick of the mother = selfless martyr bullshit narrative our culture is peddling
You’re someone who wants to feel seen, heard, and unconditionally supported as you give birth and become a parent
You want individualized care and don’t want to be treated as just another patient in a conveyor-belt system
You know that advocating for yourself is a necessary part of receiving the care you deserve but you’re not always sure how to do it
Small talk makes you gag
AND you’re deeply curious about what you’ll learn about yourself as you become a parent
You’ve come to the right place and I’m glad you’re here!!
Rachel Parris: owner + co-founder, prenatal educator
👋 I’m Rachel, owner + co-founder of Five Elements Birth Services.
I’m a sci-fi/fantasy geek extraordinaire, card carrying birth nerd, passionate human rights in childbirth advocate, and a human being deeply interested in what, exactly, makes us human.
I’ll be your transformation mentor. ❤️
Into the Deep includes everything you’re looking for in one package:
prenatal classes + birth doula support + postpartum doula support
But these are not your typical prenatal classes – I’m not going to cram you full of facts that may or may not be useful to you, reveal to you The One Simple Step to Your Perfect Birth™, or teach you the ten things you should avoid at all costs.
Because no one – not me, not your favourite content creator, not your parents, not even your doctor or midwife – can tell you exactly how this is all going to go down. THERE IS NO MAGIC FORMULA!
I wish there were – it would make this so much easier. But I have ZERO interest in selling you an illusion of safety and control.
It might feel good in the moment, but it’s not going to serve you when shit hits the fan.
Instead, I want to help you awaken your inner knowing, that will guide you into what each moment needs when it arrives. No more, no less.
During your prenatal classes you’ll use mindfulness, story, art exploration, and more, to practice:
Embodying your intuition
Cultivating flexibility and resilience
And developing trust in yourself to keep moving forward no matter what comes your way.
☝️ THIS IS GOING TO SERVE YOU SO MUCH MORE (FOR YOUR BIRTH AND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE) THAN PRETENDING YOU CAN CONTROL IT ALL ☝️
Into the Deep takes our DECADES of combined doula and educator wisdom and turns it into your own uniquely tailored parenting preparation journey.
I’m really good at helping you suss out what’s working for you and how to get more of THAT:
✨ Less fear, more confidence.
✨ Less anxiety, more presence.
✨ Less facts, more wisdom.
✨ Less perfection, more joy.
✨ Less looking to others for answers, more tuning into your own inner knowing.
In addition to all the above juicy goodness you’ll get in your prenatal classes you’ll ALSO get to choose one of our incredible doulas to support you through your birth and postpartum.
That means:
continuous labour support
gentle nurturing and encouragement
suggestions on comfort measures for pain coping
assistance in navigating the maternity/gestational services system AND MORE!
So when contractions are coming one after the other and you can’t remember exactly what we covered in class together, your doula will be there. They’ll offer gentle reminders and a super chill nervous system for you AND your partner to co-regulate with through this intense experience.
PLUS! You’ll get three postpartum support visits after your baby’s arrival earthside. 🎉🎉🎉 Read: no, you’ll not be abandoned once your baby is earthside. Your doula will help you navigate this tough and tender transition into parenthood, while honoring your innate parent wisdom.
Whether you’ve got one billionty questions about what’s normal, need tips on how to help soothe baby, want a non-judgemental listening ear, or someone to throw a load of laundry in the wash, your doula’s got you covered. ❤️
TL;DR! Into the Deep includes:
✨ eight hours of private prenatal education in the comfort of your own home
✨ two prenatal meetings with your chosen Five Elements Birth Services doula: includes tips and strategies to prepare for birth and postpartum PLUS lots of time to build connection and trust
✨ three postpartum support visits after your baby is earthside (read: NO, YOU’LL NOT BE ABANDONED ONCE YOU’VE GIVEN BIRTH)
✨ on call coverage from the second you hire us
✨ unlimited phone/text/email support
✨ access to our extensive lending library, help finding evidence-based information and resources, and special discounts from our Community Partners (read: save all the dollars!)
✨ admission to our monthly Postpartum Circle with other new parents and their littles
✨ seamless, worry free backup doula support in the rare instances it’s needed
YES, it’s basically magic.
Don’t need prenatal classes?
Just need support after baby?
"Rachel’s amazing insights and preparation, laughter, and great conversations about labour preparation and fears. Soleil’s support our first day home, as well as breastfeeding support, and adjusting to life with our new little one. [It was] worth every penny. It truly is an amazing way to prepare for labour and adjusting to parenthood. It helps you feel confident in your body, your ability to make decisions, and allows you to feel educated and informed on what to expect and how to navigate any decisions you may need to make. You'll also feel confident and supported with your new little one with the support from your postpartum doula."
- Julie
"The Birth Art class was amazing. It really made me stop, slow down, and let my mind open up to how I parent. I saw myself in an entirely new light. Since doing a Birth Art session with Rachel I am way less hard on myself as a parent, I have learned to re-prioritize what is truly important, and learned to trust more. I approach everything with a new clear open mind. I have my art work pinned in my office as a constant reminder of what my little girl is to me, and what I want to be for her. I went in with zero expectations and left with so much more love in my heart. I actually teared up while doing this session it was so good. I would HIGHLY recommend."
- Randi
"I can't imagine what it would've been like without our doulas. We felt so safe, supported, and loved with them. I can't recommend Five Elements enough! (If I was talking to a friend I'd probably be very frank and tell them they're fools if they don't go with you haha!) Thank you thank you thank you for everything. Seriously there aren't enough words to describe how amazing our experience was with you. Giving birth and being a new parent can be incredibly scary and overwhelming and having Five Elements support us made a world of difference. I genuinely feel amazing postpartum and I know a huge part of that is due to the emotional support you provided during and after our birth (and the watching Ollie so we could nap haha). THANK YOU."
- Imogen
When you fill in your inquiry form, we’ll let you know which of our doulas are available for your birth and postpartum. You get to choose who you’ll interview with! It can be any or all of the doulas available. You’re the boss!
(Of course, you’re always welcome to request a specific doula by name too)
Hi! I’m Jesse. I’ve always loved babies. At family gatherings you would usually find me snuggling the newborns and entertaining the other kiddos.
It wasn’t until I gave birth in 2015 that something shifted. I realized that yes, I loved all things birth and I considered myself a certified birth nerd, but there was something missing…MORE>>
Hi! I’m Jena, and my pronouns are she/her. I am a mom to two wild and wonderful kiddos. In my spare time, you can find me crafting (usually crochet and cross stitch), baking, attending to my rapidly growing house plant collection, and playing Dungeons & Dragons!…MORE>>
Hi! I’m Soleil, a busy mom of two energetic and creative young boys. When I’m not painting rocks or flying down zip lines in my backyard, I love eating sushi and enjoying time with my husband, family, and friends…MORE>>
Hello! I’m Kim and a mom to three amazing adults and to my sweet ride-or-die dog, Moo.
I stayed home raising my family while dabbling in various DIY sewing and craft side hustles to keep my sanity and help out financially. As my kiddos entered elementary, I found myself in a role as an educational assistant for students with special needs. Talk about rewarding! MORE>>
Why do I need prenatal classes?
Honestly, if you’re happy to wing it or are looking for the standard one-size-fits-all approach to birth, you really don’t.
But if you’re ready to:
do some deep soul work in preparation for this new stage of your life
make informed decisions about your care
understand how to get what you want and need from the system
see what labour can look like and hear what it can sound like before you’re in it
prepare your partner to support you in absolute love and trust
practice tools to cope with the intensity of birth AND the first weeks postpartum
Then prenatal classes are for you. And these ones you get to spend with ME. What’s not to love?
Why do I need a doula?
The difference between having a doula vs not having a doula for your birth is like the difference between hiring a local guide when you travel vs not hiring a local guide.
Sure, you’ll be in Paris and it’ll be amazing, but wouldn’t it be even better to have someone to show you the best pâtisseries, teach you how to “faire la bise”, and help you translate what the server is asking you?
One is good, the other is more exhilarating, more enduring, and more fun (only, when it comes to babies, it means ease of birth and deep support through what is often a tough transition).
It’s a big investment.
It’s true, this package is an investment. Considering the peace of mind and care you’ll get during a time that is basically one giant unknown with the world’s biggest stakes, it’s well worth it for the unlimited access to knowledgeable and skilled support you get in return.
You're investing in us to hold space for your transformation.
Of course we'll show up and take care of you and feed you ice chips and wipe your brow and help you through contractions. That's actually just a small part of what we do.
We’re completely and totally committed to your emotional care for the duration of your labor and postpartum. Guaranteed you’ll be stressed and struggling at some point, as labor and postpartum will provide unexpected hurdles to overcome.
We've been through this hundreds of times. Rest in that knowledge. We'll be there, with you, prioritizing and advocating for the plans we've made together, long before you have a single contraction.
We'll use every resource at our disposal to take care of you.
If cost is a concern:
check with your third party insurance - many cover doula services.
we also offer our Give A Little Love program where friends and family can donate towards your doula fund
and we’re always happy to discuss extended payment plans.
What happens if the hospital’s support person policy changes unexpectedly?
We’re fully committed to being available to you for the entirety of your birth - if that means supporting virtually via phone, text, or video chat, we’ll be there. You can count on us.
If I have a midwife, do I need a doula too?
The short answer is YES!
The longer answer is that while some of what midwives and doulas offer their clients overlap, each of us plays a distinct role during and after labour.
Midwives have the training and experience to care for the clinical aspects of your birth and postpartum. While they offer emotional support as well, they aren’t able to give you their undivided attention for every single contraction. Also, midwives usually don’t join you until you’re in active labour but in our experience, many of our clients want and benefit from support sooner than that.
After your baby is born, midwives do do home visits to check on your recovery and to make sure that your baby is doing well but they aren’t able to help with household tasks, sibling care, or hands on support which is where your postpartum doula comes in handy. Your postpartum doula takes care of everything else so that all you have to do is rest and recover while getting to know your baby.
Wait, a postpartum doula will do my dishes and feed my other kids while I recover from birth? Is that what I just read? YUP (and postpartum doula care is already included in this package!)
How will you make sure my partner doesn’t feel left out?
The bottom line is that even if we wanted to (and we really, really don’t!), there is no way we could take the place of your partner. While we always come to love each of our clients at least a little bit, there is no one else who will be at your birth who can love you the way your partner can. And that alone is labour gold.
More love = more oxytocin and more oxytocin = labour progress.
But we don’t stop there – during your prenatal classes and then continuing into your meetings with your doula, your partner will learn how they can best support you. We offer practical tools, labour etiquette tips, and context for what you are experiencing so they can be the calm, grounded, loving support superstar you know they are.
After baby arrives, your postpartum doula will support your partner as much as they support you. They will offer tips on how to soothe baby, how to encourage you to rest, and help them take care of all the other household tasks that would normally be on your to-do list. This means your partner is less likely to be overwhelmed from the influx of responsibilities that come with a new baby and they can enjoy getting to know your new little one along with you.
If you’re currently pregnant and know you want a doula, we’d love to meet with you and hear all about your hopes and dreams for your birth and postpartum.
Have questions?
info@fiveelementsbirth.com | 825-449-2429
