Sarah Howe & Emma Huvos
BIRTH DOULA SUPPORT
from a team you can trust
Offering emotional support, physical comfort, education, and advocacy during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period.
Drawing on our years of experience and evidence-based training, we work as a team to help growing families have empowered and embodied births.
Why hire a doula team?
According to Evidence Based Birth’s Evidence on Doulas, “Evidence clearly shows that a doula’s presence improves birth outcomes... Doulas improve birthing people’s satisfaction with their birth and provide an important source of physical, emotional, informational, and advocacy support for both the birthing person and their birth partner(s)...”
Our team model means you’ll benefit from a broader range of experience and skills and don’t have to worry about your birth being attended by an unfamiliar back-up.
What We Offer
Complimentary Meet & Greet: Get to know us before booking to make sure we’re the right fit to support your growing family
Two In-Home Prenatal Visits: We’ll help you draft a personalized birth wishes document, practice comfort measures, and prepare your home for those early weeks with a newborn
Compassionate, Evidence-Based Text & Phone Support Throughout Pregnancy: We’re here during business hours to answer your questions, celebrate your milestones, unpack your anxieties, and empower you to make informed choices that are right for your family
24/7 On-Call Support Starting at 38 weeks: We’re available round-the-clock to help you identify and manage early labor signs and symptoms, and to join you for in-person support as needed
Continuous Labor Support: One of us will be by your side continuously through active labor, birth, and the first 1-2 hours after birth to offer physical, emotional, information, and advocacy support
One Postpartum Home Visit: We’ll debrief your birth, offer emotional support, and make recommendations for resources to meet whatever needs you encounter during the early postpartum period
Massage Discounts: Enjoy reduced rates on prenatal and postpartum massage sessions with Emma
We support clients giving birth at University of Vermont Medical Center or at home in Chittenden County, Vermont.
You deserve to feel supported, informed, and empowered every step of the way. We look forward to talking more about how we can support you during this transformational time.
What our clients say…
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“Sarah and Emma were incredible and exceeded our expectations for whatever we thought having a doula might be... We couldn’t have asked for a better doula team...”
- Ariana P.
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"Thank you for supporting us in having an embodied and empowering birth. Working with you was a transformative experience, and I’m eternally grateful."
- Andrea E.
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"I had both Sarah and Emma during my delivery and loved them so… Their support meant everything to my husband and me… Both of them made me feel safe and strong."
- Jessi O.
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"Emma and Sarah are truly special... I won't say I enjoyed every single minute of the birth and recovery process, but I know it was as easy as possible thanks to Emma and Sarah."
- Emma A.
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“They helped my husband and I prepare in so many ways. I am eternally grateful to Sarah and Emma for all their support. Every person deserves supportive care from such wise people!"
- Gretchen B.
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“Our family is stronger as a result of the preparation and care that Sarah and Emma gave to us during those early days. They will always be a part of our family’s story."
- Ashlynn D.
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"Emma and Sarah were incredibly validating about any anxieties or concerns that we had, while also providing us with their expertise and wisdom to allow us to feel confident."
- Kelly B.
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"We are so grateful to Emma and Sarah for supporting us during our baby's unexpected early arrival, and for making our birth journey so smooth, despite how unprepared we felt..."
- The LeVigne Family
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"I was hoping for a VBAC, and Emma and Sarah were with us every step of the way. We’re so grateful for Emma and Sarah - we truly couldn’t have done it without them..."
- Maren B.
Get to Know Us
We are two experienced, certified birth doulas who work together as a team to provide comprehensive care throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period.
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Sarah is trained and certified as a birth doula by CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association). She is a calm and experienced advocate and support during labor and birth and delights in welcoming new babies into this world! Most of the births Sarah has supported have been at UVMMC and she is a well-known presence on the L&D floor.
Sarah has huge respect for the impact our emotions have on our births. She aspires to know and understand her clients before the baby’s birth so she can be the most effective doula possible. She also is very interested in how we can move our bodies to be more comfortable during pregnancy and to prepare for effective labor. She attended a Spinning Babies workshop for birth professionals to better understand the physical mechanics of birth and labor and finds these techniques very helpful.
Sarah meets families where they are, in whatever configuration or stage they’re in. Pregnancy is a journey that is different for each person and each baby and she is committed to supporting her clients in whatever way they need.
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Emma (she/her) is a DONA International certified birth doula, a perinatal massage therapist, and Coordinator of the University of Vermont Medical Center Volunteer Doula Program.
Equal parts heart-centered space holder and fierce advocate, Emma brings a blend of calm and confidence to the birthing space. She is passionate about helping people get to know and trust their bodies on a deeper level and draws on her training in perinatal massage and her knowledge of pelvic biomechanics and Spinning Babies to help clients find comfort, ease, and confidence throughout the perinatal period.
Outside of work, Emma finds joy in gardening, bouldering, yoga, kayaking, playing with her three-legged rescue pup, and her role as a foster parent. She lives with her family in Essex Junction, VT.
Trusted Resources
If a service provider is on this list, it is because we have connected with them personally to discuss their offerings and/or have had multiple clients speak highly of their services.
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Zizi Zoltan Chandler - Specializes in fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and reproductive health.
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GROW - Childbirth education, newborn care classes, and specialized classes on sibling prep and introducing dogs to babies
Amy LePage - Childbirth education with group or private options, as well as classes on pelvic floor prep and healing and c-section recovery
Mad River Birth and Wellness - One-on-one coaching and personalized guidance
Meghan Bello - Babywearing classes
Sauvage Wellness - Education on Fertility Awareness Methods & menstrual cycle tracking education for birth control & pregnancy
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Dad Guild - Community/events for dads
The Family Room - free groups and wraparound support for parents and children
GROW - Pregnancy circle & new mother support groups
Postpartum Support International - Online support groups, provider directory, and HelpLine
The Table - Offering BIPOC pregnancy support groups
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Empty Arms VT - peer support for families whose babies have died through miscarriage, stillbirth, early infant death, or termination for medical reasons
Heather Gallagher - doula support for loss & abortion
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Gather Round - Weekly meal delivery or pack-the-freezer plan - all cooked locally and customized to your families unique tastes and preferences
Nourished Journey - Nutrition counseling for pregnancy and postpartum, special focus on gestational diabetes
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Amy LePage - Prenatal and postpartum movement classes, in-person in Montpelier and online
Christina Fornaciari / Laughing River Yoga - Online prenatal yoga class bundle recorded by wonderful local yoga teacher
GROW Prenatal & Postpartum Yoga & Fitness - offering in-person group classes
Jen Farrugia -Strength-training for pregnancy and postpartum, offering in-person coaching & online classes
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Hannah, This Mother’s Road - Daytime postpartum doula support
Heather Gallagher - Daytime postpartum doula support
Mary Humphrey - Overnight postpartum doula support
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Aubrey Carpenter, It Takes a Village - parent-focused therapy and support groups. Does not accept insurance.
Kate Littlefield, Through to Thrive - Focus on infertility and postpartum mood challenges. Also works with couples and families. Does not accept insurance.
Kiersten Parks - Focus on navigating the identity shifts that come with motherhood, infertility, and pregnancy loss. Takes insurance!
Meredith Coeyman - Primarily works with new parents and specializes in perinatal anxiety and depression. Takes insurance!
Postpartum Support International - Online support groups, provider directory, and HelpLine