Doula Vitae
Birth and Postpartum Care
Julia and Winship - October 2020
Luci Tarr
I am Luci Tarr, a doula supporting the birth and postpartum experience throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. I find it incredibly challenging to describe the depth of meaning behind being a doula. I value the bond of family and the emotion and strength that lives within that bond. I believe it allows me to provide the utmost care and support in all situations.
The health and safety of my family, clients and community is very important to me. I am current with vaccinations for COVID-19 (including a booster), the flu and TDAP.
Support Offered
"...a home birth, scheduled cesarean, epidural hospital birth or if you birth alone in the woods next to baby deer. I care that you had options, that you were supported in your choices and that you were respected."
-January Harshe, The Birth Without Fear Blog
Pregnancy and Birth Care
The pregnancy and birth experience moves me - it is nothing short of a miracle. The opportunity to be with a family, however defined, during such an intimate and progressive moment in life, is a gift. As a doula, I will help bring forth the needs and desires of your family to guide you through to the moment your baby is born. I am passionate about supporting the miracle and embracing the gift.
Postpartum Care
I feel very passionate about having the ability and opportunity to work with families during this transitional time. The care I provide is a collaboration of the specific needs of the family and the skills and knowledge of my "fourth trimester" expertise. With the understanding that life can be unpredictable and may change what your needs are, we will work together to build the best path forward for your family. My goal as your postpartum doula is to alleviate everyday stressors, foster an environment that nourishes the growth and well-being of the family and provide a toolbox of tips and techniques for parents to utilize.
"We have a new cultural view of childbirth that tremendously minimizes how physically and emotionally difficult it is."
-Amy Tuteur, MD
Clients' Thoughts
Working with Luci was one of the best decisions that we made to prepare for the birth of our first child. During our very first conversation, Luci immediately put us at ease with her non-judgemental, open, and vivacious personality. She worked with us closely to determine what kind of support we thought we might need, and was flexible as the pregnancy progressed and our needs and desires changed. Luci inspired us to articulate to ourselves and to each other our hopes and fears for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and guided us in all aspects of the experience, from generating a birth preferences document, to navigating visiting our families during the pandemic, to practicing birthing positions and affirmations. Ultimately, we approached our birth feeling more confident and empowered in both the decisions that we were making and also how to support one another through the process. While Luci was unfortunately unable to attend our birth due to Covid-19 restrictions, she offered reassuring virtual support over the phone. However, the highest praise that we can think of for Luci is that after working with her, we felt fully capable, both as the birthing person and birth partner, to have the positive birth experience that we had hoped for, even without her there. Once again, Covid restrictions limited how much Luci was able to visit us postpartum, but nonetheless she found creative ways to help ease our transition to new parenthood. We cannot recommend working with Luci enough; she is not only an inspiring teacher and coach, but a simply delightful person who will bring so much positive energy into this special time in your life.
...Most important of all of Luci’s amazing attributes is her ability to be an emotional guide. Our birth had some unexpected bumps in the road (as I think many do) and when things became turbulent and scary, Luci was there to help calm my nerves and guide me to be confident in the process and confident in my body’s abilities.
I was heading into active labor while I was in the bathtub at the hospital when the nurse noticed that the baby’s heart rate was dropping. By the time they had gotten me out of the tub and to the bed (shaking and dripping wet) there were about ten plus additional doctors in the room telling me that they had to prepare me for a c-section. Luci locked eyes with me as she saw the tears forming and calmly said, “Julia, just look at me, you are strong, and you’ve got this.” She grabbed my hand and drew my attention away from the calamity in the room and into the deep reassurance in her eyes telling me that everything would be OK. Her ability to center me in this moment is a true gift of Luci’s and one that makes her an incredible doula.
Luci acted as a coach through the birth preparation process as well as labor. We bonded over the fact that both of us rowed crew. It is a testament to her that I would place her next to some of my top crew coaches in her ability to coach me through the labor process. During our initial meetings she was great at laying out the “training plan,” showing my husband and me the moves that we should practice and preparing us for what was to come. Once we were in the hospital, she helped to navigate us to the right positions and coach me through the various stages of labor. Just like you sometimes need a coach to tell you, “now is the time to push it!” Luci navigated me through the stages of labor seamlessly and let me know when I should just focus on being calm and when it was time to PUSH!
Overall, we feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Luci. We hope you have the opportunity to work with her as well!
-For the complete testimonial from this client, please visit the Clients' Thoughts page.
To read more thoughts from people whom I have had the pleasure of supporting...
Clients' Thoughts
Contact Me!
I would love to have the opportunity to meet with you, to learn about your support needs and to share more about me and how I may be able to support those needs. At this time, for the health and safety of all, meetings are held virtually. Click the red envelope to contact me:
