"We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful.

It's that women are strong."

- Laura Stavoe Harm 

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Whether you are an expectant parent, a fellow doula, or someone simply looking for information on pregnancy and natural childbirth, I hope you will find what you are looking for or send me an email with any questions! For placenta encapsulation click here.

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in your life, and the birth of your child is an amazing experience.  You may have some ideas about what you want or do not want during labor, but you're not quite sure how to follow through. A birth doula will help you discover your options, write a birth plan, and support you through the entire experience.  And most importantly, while the doctors, nurses and midwives may have other patients and other focuses while you are in labor, a doula is there to support YOU and your partner only.

Clinical studies have shown benefits of having a doula present at birth

such as:

  • shorter labors with fewer complications 
  • reduced need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans
  • reduced negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience 
  • reduced mother’s request for pain medication/epidural

 A birth doula provides...
  •  Emotional Support (encouragement, reassurance, continuous physical presence)
  • Informational Support (assistance gathering info about the course of labor & options)
Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Glencoe, Barrington, Crystal Lake, Streamwood, Bartlet, Hinsdale, River Forest, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, Rogers Park, Frankfort, Worth, Oak Brook, Hoffman Estates, Waukegan, Mundelein, Lake Zurich, Skokie, Zion, Highland Park, Downers Grove, Lemont, Mokena, Crest Hill, Manhattan, New Lenox, Lockport, Romeoville, Lemont, Country Club Hills, Warrenville, Westmont, Roselle, St. Charles,  Park Ridge, Norridge, Niles, Lincolnwood, Northbrook, Franklin Park Chicago, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Addison, Villa Park, Bloomingdale, Lombard, Tinley Park, Oak Park, Orland Park, Westchester, Glen Ellyn, Berwyn, Lagrange, Frankfort, Glenview, Libertyville, Woodstock, Bolingbrook, Naperville, Aurora, West Chicago, Rolling Meadows, Evanston, Glendale Heights, Wheaton, Northlake, Melrose Park, Lisle, Summit, Joliet, Elmwood Park, Maywood, Lyons, Burbank, Evergreen Park, Brookfield, Lake Forest, Blue Island, Belleville, Darien, Willowbrook, McHenry, Palos Hills, Palos Heights, Wood Dale, Itasca, Bensenville and many more!,

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Please contact me for more info or to find out if I travel to your area. I am currently serving Chicago & suburbs!

Joanne Fortuna

Certified Birth Doula &  Placenta Encapsulation Specialist 

773.386.3003

birth-doula@live.com
  • Physical Support                     (comfort measures, positioning, massage, breathing, relaxation, and other non-pharmacological pain relief measures)
  • Partner Support                    (role modeling, encouragement, reassurance)