{Training, Affiliations, and Experience}

I have been a DONA trained birth doula since June 2016.

In May 2017 I attended a Spinning Babies training presented by Gail Tully.

I am certified in HypnoBirthing Support Techniques as of June 2018.

Former intern at the Minnesota Birth Center from September 2016 – May 2017

Former Associate Member of the Childbirth Collective

Training on herbal remedies for mother and baby, pregnancy, and postpartum from Erin Piorier, Registered Herbalist

I have experience attending births at homes, birth centers, and hospitals.  I’ve supported parents during vaginal, VBAC, and cesarean births as well as during unmedicated and medicated births.  I draw from my training, personal experience, and the knowledge from the greater birth community in the Twin Cities to serve the families I work with.

{Testimonies}

“We chose to work with Laura after meeting her at a doula speed dating event. We opened up to her immediately and the way she responded made us feel very comfortable so we knew we would be in good hands if we worked with her. We loved that we could laugh with her – that was important to us…She really cares about the family she is working with and wants to get to know them and support them in the best way she can. I was impressed with how encouraging she was but also with how she validated our fears & feelings. As a parent herself she really “gets it”. Laura has a way of making you feel strong, at peace, and prepared (well… as prepared as you can be for birth and a new baby!). 

What we loved best about having a doula is that they are able to read the room and see what you need, maybe even before you know what that is. They know when to be vocal and hands on, but also when you need them to step back and give you space. They are very invested in the experience, in you and your partner/family, and the new baby that arrives. I still chat with Laura from time to time and am happy for the connection we made. If you need a doula, you cannot go wrong with Laura, she is an amazing choice (and person)!!”

{Megan C.}

“I whole heartedly recommend Laura as your birth doula, truly look no further, Laura is a wonderful addition to your birth team. She was critical to mine as we went in thinking it would be a quick second labor and it ended up being anything but…Needless to say it was a lot to process and keep up with but Laura’s calm demeanor, reassuring statements, help with positioning along with amazing massage techniques, made it all the better. Her detailed notes and photos from our daughters birth are something I will treasure for the rest of my life. Plus, backing up to pregnancy, Laura was a wealth of knowledge in getting baby, my body and my mind ready for labor.”

{Jackie O.}

“Laura was recommended by our midwife, and once my husband and I met her during our initial meeting we immediately knew we wanted her to be our doula. She put me at ease with her calm, confident, and attuned presence. Her style is both very professional yet personable and warm at the same time. During our prenatal visits, Laura took the time to truly get to know us as a couple: our values, fears, and excitements about welcoming a baby into our family. During my pregnancy, Laura periodically and consistently checked in with me by text or email and made me feel so supported during a hard bout of prenatal depression and anxiety. During the prenatal visits, I was also thankful for the way she connected with my husband and involved him fully in every aspect, which was really important to us as a couple. During my labor, Laura’s encouraging words are one of the few things that continue to stand out to me. She helped me trust my body and instincts during labor, made me feel powerful, and had an intangible soothing presence that added so much to my experience. She offered practical suggestions for pain management, kept me hydrated, and somehow even infused gentle humor into stressful moments. When I think back to my birth, I feel proud, strong, and powerful, and I know a large part of that is how supported I felt by Laura. I can’t imagine not having her at my future births and she feels like part of our family. I cannot recommend her services highly enough!”

{Katie D.}

“We loved having Laura as our doula.  She was with us every step of the way and helped us feel prepared and informed right from the beginning.  She spent a lot of time going over all of our questions and providing support prior to the big day.  She was always available when we needed her.  When I was finally in labor, she was an integral part of helping myself and my husband through the whole process, and I don’t know how I could have made it through without her.  She is so kind and supportive of whatever our wishes were for our birth/pregnancy.  She is a fantastic doula, and I would love to work with her again for future pregnancies.”

{Ashlee M.} 

“I had a wonderful birth experience with Laura in the fall of 2016. My husband and I decided to work with Laura because we felt comfortable wit her calm and intelligent demeanor almost instantly! She made us feel empowered as a team and capable of bringing our baby into the world.

At 34 weeks we found out that our son was breech. Laura provided emotional support as I grappled with the possibility (and eventual reality) of a cesarean birth instead of an unmedicated natural birth. Laura helped us find information about baby flipping, and even attended my ECV where an OB tried to flip our baby head down. It was SO valuable for us to have her at the ECV! She had a calm and peaceful presence and helped both of us stay grounded before, during, and after the procedure. She also helped us with questions to ask the OB as the cesarean was put on the calendar.

Laura attended our son’s birth via cesarean section at the end of November. The two hours between arriving at the hospital and the procedure beginning were extremely stressful for me and I can’t imagine how Luke and I would have gotten through it without Laura with us and on our team. During the surgery Laura took AMAZING pictures that I am incredibly grateful to have! Luke was free to support me completely with Laura supporting both of us. Laura stayed with us in the recovery room and was very helpful as we started breastfeeding. She is knowledgeable, gentle, and knows when to step in and when to hold back. The postpartum visit with Laura was a lifesaver on our first night home from the hospital. She helped us settle in and feel capable of beginning our new family at home when we were feeling extremely daunted.

I would highly recommend working with Laura!”

{Laura O.}

“I had a great birthing experience with Laura. She helped me achieve my goal of having an unmedicated birth. I was going to be alone during labor so I decided to get a doula for support and I must admit Laura provided all the support I needed. She supported me emotionally and physically and in every other possible way. She motivated me every step of the way and was constantly analyzing my situation and offering options that made me more comfortable. I was so scared when I started shivering, she gave me a really tight hug and reassured that it was normal. I wouldn’t have asked any more of her. I can go on and on about stuff she did but the summary is that she was just SUPER AMAZING and I’m really glad I worked with her.”

{Tamunomiete A.}

“When my wife and I found out we were pregnant we found out there were many decisions to make. Where would we have the baby at? Who would be our doctor? Where were we going to do birth classes? And the list goes on. Then the conversation turned to the topic of the doula. We both decided that we wanted one and that we would see if we find someone who lined up with our values and had a passion for her profession. My wife and I looked at a list of doula’s separately and came back to each other with our respective choices on who we’d choose. We both chose Laura. And I must say that it was a fantastic decision.

Laura’s passion for the mothers and babies who she works with is incredible. Her knowledge about childbirth is expansive and we felt the love she has for both mother and child. When the day came for our son to enter the world, Laura was there. She came with a heart full of love and a body full of energy and helped my wife tremendously. (Her presence gave me a break too!) There were times during the labor when I wondered what we would have done without her. Now after the labor I realize that we lucked out with our choice of Laura. She’s a rock. She’s the kind of person you feel comfortable with and you know that you can trust her suggestions during the labor (as she has four children of her own!).

Laura Griffis exceeded all of our expectations and we will forever be grateful for her. We’re thankful for everything she did for us throughout the process and I know that if you decide to have Laura be your doula you will have the same feelings toward her that we do.”

{Brady L.}

“…I couldn’t be happier with my choice to work with Laura… (She) answered all my questions with knowledgable insight and understanding. She was an invaulable source of kind encouragement and pointed me to helpful resources. We kept in touch regularly and I really appreciated Laura’s thoughtful exchanges. She is a great listener and made me feel cared for and heard. Labor came suddenly and went quickier than I expected. Laura was a seamless part of our birth team with her gentle and confident presence. She made me feel comfortable and capable with her reassuring words and soothing touch, especially at my most vulnerable moments when I wasn’t sure I could keep going. My husband also appreciated Laura’s support and felt relieved to have someone there for both of us who knows what to expect during labor.  Laura was outstanding and I whole heartedly recommend her!”

{Erin M.}

“Sometimes the dad needs a doula as much as moms. I did the Bradley class and it was helpful but I still found having Laura there to be a real help for me as a husband to know what to do when, and also to be able to take a break once in a while.

I didn’t realize how much hard work labor was going to be for me. I knew it would be hard for my wife, but it took a lot out of me. I was thankful to have Laura there to carry some of the load.

Laura was someone I could go to with questions, she reminded me of things on our birth plan to address with the medical staff, and also reminded me to eat and drink. I might have fainted, and missed the birth of my son if I wouldn’t have had her there to help me stay healthy and hydrated.”

{Joshua B.}

“Laura has been a solid source of support and guidance as my husband, Aaron, and I brought our first child, Lila, into the world and have been adjusting to coming parents. Her visits during the last weeks of my pregnancy helped us to prepare for labor, and she prompted us to think about things – like a game plan for dealing with my early labor and like nutrition and healing during the fourth trimester – in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise done.

At home, I was somewhat stalled, doing most of my contractions in the same position and refusing Aaron’s attempts to get me to move. When Laura arrived, her confidence and gentle persistence earned my compliance and after a couple of hours of laboring in different positions, it was time to drive to the birth center. I’m not sure we would have realized that I was ready to go in, given that my contractions never had a regular rhythm, and we were so glad to be able to trust Laura’s judgment that it was time to call the midwife.

At the birth center, I continued to be grateful for her presence and affirmations… (she) stayed by my side, always encouraging me.

I know not everyone is cut out to be a doula, but Laura has the perfect demeanor for this important role. She is gentle, caring, knowledgeable, thoughtful, supportive, and unobtrusive. I couldn’t recommend her more lightly.”

{Jessica C.}

“I can’t imagine our pregnancy, labor, and birth without Laura as part of our team. She was incredibly supportive throughout the whole journey, making herself available to me at all times! She is knowledgeable about so many things, and for those questions she was unable to answer she was able to connect me with resources so that I felt confident to understand my experience. Laura was encouraging through all my ups and downs, lifting me up and never allowing me to doubt myself. When challenges arose in my labor, she helped me understand my options and make the best choice for me and my family. She helped me process through the hard parts and the disappointments that I faced due to those challenges so that I now only have positive associations connected to bringing my baby into the world.

My husband has a medical condition that prevented him from being present during the more intense parts of labor, and Laura made it a priority to make sure he was still able to experience and be part of the process, and the support she was able to provide both of us was full; neither of us felt anything lacking.

I originally felt slightly uncomfortable about paying a stranger to be my support system, but working with Laura never felt like she was anything less than family and friend!”

{Alicia G.}

To read additional kind words from families I’ve served, please visit my Doula Match page.